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16 Jul 2004 : Column 1355W—continued
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
BBC Charter
Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make it a requirement of the BBC's Charter Renewal that it provide high quality, informative and educational programmes which promote family values. [184064]
Tessa Jowell: The Government have not reached any conclusions in the BBC Charter Review except that it will result in a strong BBC, independent of Government. My Department has already received a wide range of views in response to our initial open consultation. There will be further opportunities to debate the key issues, including the range and quality of BBC programmes, before the Government draw their conclusions in due course.
Tourism (London)
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much revenue she estimates tourism generated for London in the last year for which figures are available. [184269]
Mr. Caborn: Figures on tourism revenue in London are available for 2002 and these are shown in the table.
| Type of tourism | Expenditure in London in 2002 (£ million) |
|---|---|
| International visits including an overnight stay | 5,788 |
| Domestic visits including an overnight stay | 2,818 |
| Domestic day visits(3) | 3,690 |
| Total | 12,296 |
(3) Domestic day visits expenditure figure is for the financial year 2002–03
Sources:
International Passenger Survey, UK Tourism Survey, GB Leisure Day Visits Survey
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent on promoting London as a tourist destination (a) within the UK and (b) internationally in 2003–04. [184277]
Mr. Caborn: In 2003–04, the Department allocated £1.5 million for marketing London overseas in support of the Mayor's Tourism Strategy for London. This marketing was carried out by VisitLondon, whose net spending on campaigns, including funding from the GLA and the London Development Agency, was approximately £11 million in the domestic market and £5.8 million overseas.
London tourism also benefited from the Department's grant-in-aid of £35.5 million to VisitBritain for the promotion of Britain overseas, and £10.4 million for the domestic marketing of England.
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DEFENCE
Cadet Forces
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he is taking to ensure that each of the military cadet forces has full access to relevant military ranges and equipment. [184157]
Mr. Caplin: Although the regular and reserve forces must, of necessity, have priority access to military ranges and equipment, the cadet forces, particularly at this time of year when they undergo training at Annual Camps throughout the UK, utilise military ranges and equipments that are available and suitable. The administration of these resources is conducted by the relevant single Service.
D-Day Memorial Services
Miss Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which members of the Government attended the D-Day memorial services in Normandy. [183566]
Mr. Caplin: The commemorations in France to mark the 60th anniversary of the D-Day Landings and the Normandy Campaign were attended by the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Defence, the Minister of State for Northern Ireland and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans. A number of other Parliamentarians and representatives of the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly attended as guests of Her Majesty's Government.
Iraq
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which (a) regiments and (b) other units have been identified with the arrest, transportation, disorientation and interrogation of prisoners in Iraq. [182922]
Mr. Ingram: All British forces personnel in Iraq have the authority to detain and transport persons who pose a threat to safety or security. Prisoners are interrogated at the Divisional Temporary Detention Facility, only by individuals specifically trained for that task. Disorientation, as an interrogation technique, is not permitted and is prohibited by law.
Personnel Outflow
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 31 March 2004, Official Report, column 1483W, on Personnel Outflow, how many people discharged under code QR 9.411 were medically downgraded to P.7. [183814]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 13 July 2004]: Within the Regiments listed in my answer, none of those soldiers discharged under QR 9.411 was medically downgraded to P.7.
SERCO-Denholm
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the adequacy of the pension provision made for departmental staff transferred to SERCO-Denholm Ltd. under the Marine Services
16 Jul 2004 : Column 1357W
Market test of 1995; and if he will make a statement on the compliance of SERCO-Denholm with its obligations to those employees. [181582]
Mr. Caplin [holding answer 30 June 2004]: The Ministry of Defence staff who transferred to SERCO-Denholm Ltd. following the Marine Services Market Test of 1995 were offered a pension scheme, which was certified by the Government Actuary's Department as being broadly comparable to the benefits offered by the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS) at that time. SERCO-Denholm has complied fully with its obligations to staff in its Marine Services contract with the MOD.
Staff Cars
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the range of options of Grade A staff cars available to senior officers in the armed forces was in the years 2002 and 2003, giving the country of manufacture of each model; and what changes were made to the range of options in 2004. [181452]
Mr. Caplin: In the United Kingdom, the range of Grade A staff cars available in 2003 was as follows:
Manufacturer/Model | Engine/Trim | Country of manufacture |
|---|---|---|
| Vauxhall | ||
| Omega | 2.5 litres | Germany |
| Omega | 2.0 litres | Germany |
| Vectra | 2.0 litres | Germany |
| Ford | ||
| Mondeo | 2.0 litres | Belgium |
| Rover | ||
| 75 | Connoisseur SE | United Kingdom |
| 75 | CDT Club | United Kingdom |
The same range of vehicles were available in 2002. For 2004 a revised policy has been endorsed for the United Kingdom. The new policy reflects changes in the models available and offers a choice of models to Senior Officers:
(4) Provided by the UK White Fleet contractor. The specification is by size rather than make.
(5) Also available to Secretary of State and Permanent Under-Secretary.
(6) Details not currently available due to changes to the range.
(7) Available to both military and civilian members of the Defence Council.
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For Germany the position is as follows:
Manufacturer/Model | Engine/Trim | Country of manufacture |
|---|---|---|
| Range of available Grade A staff cars: 2002 and 2003 | ||
| Opel | ||
| Omega | 2.0 litres | Germany |
| VW | ||
| Passat | 2.3 litres | Germany |
| Range of available staff cars: 2004 | ||
| Opel | ||
| Signum(8) | 3.0 litres | Germany |
| Audi | ||
| A4(8) | 2.5 litres | Germany |
(8) Model changes following contract re-let and manufacturer's changes to range.
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