| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
14 Oct 2003 : Column 154W—continued
Small Businesses
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of gross domestic product is accounted for by the output of (i) small and (ii) micro businesses in (a) Dumfries & Galloway, (b) Scotland and (c) the UK. [132320]
Nigel Griffiths: The percentage of gross domestic product accounted for by the output of small and micro businesses in the UK is not available.
14 Oct 2003 : Column 155W
Supermarkets
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she expects the Office of Fair Trading to conclude its review of the Supermarket Code of Practice; and if she will make a statement. [131829]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Office of Fair Trading is expected to conclude its review of the Code of Practice governing supermarkets' relations with their suppliers this autumn. The OFT will then send its results to DTI for formal consideration. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will wait for the results of that review before deciding if any action is necessary.
Wind Farms
Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who bears the cost of public inquiries into planning applications for wind farms. [131670]
Mr. Timms: Each participant bears his own costs and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry recovers her costs, such as the employment of an inspector, from the developer.
WTO (Cancun)
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what the (a) size and (b) cost of the EU delegation to the Cancun Summit was; [131250]
- (2) what the total cost of the United Kingdom delegation's travel and subsistence at the Cancun Summit was. [131251]
Ms Hewitt: Accounts for the World Trade Organisation ministerial are not currently available and can be produced only at disproportionate cost. The costs will be spilt over a number of different Departments. Each Department publishes its financial accounts after the end of the relevant financial year.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total cost was of Ministers' and civil servants' attendance at the Cancun Fifth World Trade Organisation ministerial, including accommodation and travel charges. [131260]
Ms Hewitt: Accounts for the World Trade Organisation ministerial are not currently available and can be produced only at disproportionate cost. The costs will be spilt over a number of different Departments. Each Department publishes its financial accounts after the end of the relevant financial year.
DEFENCE
HMS Tireless
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of repair to HMS Tireless is; when he will return to service; what the result was of the inquiry into the incident; and if he will make a statement. [131934]
Mr. Ingram: HMS Tireless rejoined the Fleet earlier this month. The cost of the repair has still to be finalised, but is expected to be under £1 million.
14 Oct 2003 : Column 156W
This incident was subject to a Royal Navy Board of Inquiry (BOI). A BOI is an internal fact-finding investigation into the circumstances surrounding a particular incident, undertaken by the Services for internal use. The main purpose is to establish the facts concerning an incident as quickly as possible and to make recommendations aimed at preventing a recurrence. The Board found no grounds for any disciplinary action.
Alvis Vickers
Mr. David Clelland: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Alvis Vickers personnel were dispatched to Kuwait in the period immediately preceding the invasion of Iraq to upgrade British Army vehicles; what assessment he has made of the contribution of the upgrades provided by Alvis Vickers to the performance of the British Army on Operation Telic; and what weight will be given to a proven ability to provide operational support and upgrade work when choosing a contractor for the Future Rapid Effect System. [130409]
Mr. Ingram: Some 60 AVL personnel went to Kuwait to support British troops on Operation Telic. Equipment availability is a key factor in any military operation, and we greatly value the contribution made by civilian contractors. The capacity to support equipment effectively when it enters service is a consideration for acquisition programmes, and this will be the case with FRES.
Armed Forces (Modernisation)
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy not to reduce the strength and establishments of (a) Royal Navy frigates, destroyers and submarines, (b) the Army Air Corps, (c) the Infantry, (d) the Royal Armoured Corps, (e) the Royal Artillery, (f) the Royal Engineers, (g) RAF squadrons and (h) RAF aircraft procurement programmes. [131694]
Mr. Ingram: In his speech to RUSI on 26 June this year (a copy of which is available in the Library of the House), the Defence Secretary made clear how we will continue to modernise our armed forces to respond to changes in society, technology and the strategic environment.
Arms Sales Exhibition (Excel Centre)
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of policing the arms sales exhibition at the Excel Centre in London. [130294]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 18 September 2003 Official Report, column 950W to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable). The final cost remains to be established.
Death-in-service Benefits
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to improve the death-in-service benefits and pensions of servicemen and women. [131419]
14 Oct 2003 : Column 157W
Mr. Caplin: I refer my hon. Friend to my written statement on 15 September 2003, Official Report, columns 39–40WS.
Defence Attaches
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many defence attaché staff there are at each diplomatic post abroad; what the roles of those based in the United States are; and what proportion of their working time was spent on each major activity in the last year for which figures are available. [131774]
Mr. Ingram: A total of 128 United Kingdom Defence attachés/advisors are currently deployed in 82 locations as follows:
14 Oct 2003 : Column 158W
There are a total of four officers (2 RN, 2 RAF) employed in Canada, Russia, India and USA as Office Managers; these are not accredited diplomatic posts.
The principal role of an attaché is to further the UK's Defence Diplomacy aims in his host country. This is articulated as six core attaché functions:
- Support to Defence Diplomacy;
Provision of Operational Military Advice and Assistance;
Provision of Politico-Military Advice;
Support to Defence Intelligence;
Support to Defence Exports; and
Representation and Administrative Support.
- Support to Defence Diplomacy—38 per cent.
Provision of Operational-Military Advice—16 per cent.
Provision of Politico-Military Advice—12 per cent.
Support to Defence Intelligence—8 per cent.
Support to Defence Exports—16 per cent.
Representation and Administrative Support—10 per cent.
- Support to Defence Diplomacy—33 per cent.
Provision of Operational-Military Advice—16 per cent.
Provision of Politico-Military Advice—15 per cent.
Support to Defence Intelligence—14 per cent.
Support to Defence Exports—4 per cent.
Representation and Administrative Support—18 per cent.
14 Oct 2003 : Column 159W
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |