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7 Jan 2003 : Column 74W—continued

Sporting Events

Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she has plans to increase the number of major sporting events which must be shown on terrestrial television; and if she will make a statement. [88305]

Dr. Howells: There are no immediate plans to review the list of sporting and other national events. However, the Government aim to keep the list under regular review, and if significant changes take place either in the public perception of what events are of national importance, or in the economics of sports rights, the Government would look at the matter again.

Sustainable Procurement

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how her Department defines sustainable procurement, in relation to its Environmental Management System. [88704]

Dr. Howells : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 7 November 2002, Official Report, column 544W. That answer is in complete agreement with the requirements of the Departmental Environmental Management System, an initiative which has the whole hearted support of the Green Minister (Baroness Blackstone), the Department's Environmental Champions, senior officials and staff.

TV Licences

Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she plans to change the cost of a TV licence for students; and if she will make a statement. [88273]

Dr. Howells: The Government have no plans to change the cost of television licences for students. Students pay the standard licence fee and are subject to the normal licensing requirements. We have received representations calling for concessions for students but it would be difficult to justify giving priority to students over the many other groups with a case for special treatment.

DEFENCE

Appointees

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list current appointees on the (a) board of the

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RAF Museum, (b) board of the Royal Marines Museum, (c) board of the Royal Navy Submarine Museum, (d) Advisory Committee on Conscientious Objectors, (e) Review Board for Government Contracts, (f) board of the National Army Museum and (g) Defence Scientific Advisory Council. [89052]

Dr. Moonie: The information requested is as follows: (a) Board of the RAF Museum


7 Jan 2003 : Column 76W

Brave Millennium

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the recommendations arising out of the 1999 Integrated Contingency Planning exercise Brave Millennium have been accepted by his Department; what money has been spent to cover the cost of these commitments since 1999; what recommendations have not been accepted by his Department; what the basis was of such decisions; and if he will make a statement. [87796]

Mr. Ingram: Exercise Brave Millennium examined high-level aspects of integrated contingency planning, improving awareness of the key issues affecting the Ministry of Defence's ability to respond quickly and efficiently to any request for assistance from civil authorities.

As a result of the exercise 57 areas for further work were highlighted, some of it involving other Government Departments/agencies, such as the Home Office, the Police, and the Department of Health.

Most of that work has been completed and a number of actions taken. Many of these entailed the modification of existing processes and procedures. Work is in hand on a small number of outstanding

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issues. The expenditure involved is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

The second Brave Millennium, held in March 2002, confirmed that improvements to integrated contingency planning processes had been made, while further improvements will result from the Strategic Defence Review New Chapter.

British Nuclear Tests (Compensation)

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been paid in compensation to ex-servicemen and medical auxiliaries who attended British nuclear tests and have suffered consequent illness. [89019]

Dr. Moonie: The Department's consistent line is that we have every confidence in the independent studies carried out by the National Radiological Protection Board and the Imperial Cancer Research Fund that showed veterans' participation in the nuclear test programme has not had a detectable effect on their expectation of life, or on their risk of developing cancer or other fatal diseases. Consequently no compensation has been paid to British nuclear test veterans.

Challenger 2

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made with the development of camouflage nets for the Challenger 2 tank; what estimate he has made of the costs of development; and what trials have been carried out. [87045]

Mr. Ingram: Challenger 2 already has an effective counter-surveillance capability. We are investigating ways to further improve this capability. I am withholding specific details of the developments under Exemption 1 (defence, security and international relations) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Cruise Missiles

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Cruise missiles are available for operations; what logistics and support operations are required; and if he will make a statement. [89276]

Mr. Ingram : I am withholding this information in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Defence, Security and International Relations).

Hostage Taking

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 9 December 2002, Official Report, column 16W, if the considerable and compelling evidence of systematic and continuous grave breaches of the fourth Geneva Convention included considerable and compelling evidence of the crime of hostage taking; whether anyone was named in the report as being suspected of the crime of hostage taking; and what recommendations were made in the report for further action on the issue of (a) hostage taking and (b) war crimes referred to in the report. [88513]

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Mr. Ingram: As I explained in my answer of 27 November 2002, Official Report, column 335W the report itself is a summary of evidence drawn from the statements of individuals who witnessed or were subject to alleged acts of Iraqi brutality during the Gulf War. The Ministry of Defence has a duty to protect the confidentiality of those who co-operated with the Royal Military Police.

The Royal Military Police were tasked with determining the facts alone. Their final report makes no recommendations.

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