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Foreign Policy

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make a statement on the methodology employed by her Department in co-ordinating policy development for (a) Iraq, (b) Zimbabwe and (c) the Middle East peace process. [189989]

Ruth Kelly: The Defence and Overseas Secretariat in the Cabinet Office oversees cross-government policy on a wide range of foreign policy matters. These currently include issues relating to Iraq, Zimbabwe and the Middle East Peace Process. This activity is undertaken through discussion with all Government Departments concerned, and through inter-departmental meetings at both ministerial and official level.

Internet Advertising

Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much money the Government intends to spend on advertising on the internet in (a) the current financial year and (b) the next financial year; and if she will list (i) the departments concerned and (ii) the amounts spent in each case. [189160]

 
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Ruth Kelly [holding answer 16 September 2004]: The information requested is not held centrally. Information on total advertising spending is held by individual Departments.

However, Government online advertising, planning and buying is procured through a Central Office of Information (COI) rostered supplier.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

Mr. Stunell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to her answer of 15 September 2004, Official Report, column 1591W, on non-departmental public bodies, if the Office will issue further guidance to non-departmental public bodies listed in the publication, Public Bodies, as not holding annual open meetings to encourage them to comply with the Code of Practice. [189769]

Ruth Kelly: On 17 September the Cabinet Office issued a new version of its guide "Non Departmental Public Bodies: A Guide for Departments" which has been placed on the Cabinet Office website. The new guide includes a section on openness and accountability which, among other guidance intended to encourage non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) to be open and accountable to the community, refers to open meetings. This encourages NDPBs to hold open meetings at least once a year. NDPBs should advertise these widely to stakeholders and make a report on the outcomes or the minutes widely available. Departments have been asked to draw the new guide to the attention of all the teams sponsoring NDPBs. A copy of the new guide has been placed in the Library.

Regulatory Impact Unit

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many secondees from (a) small and medium enterprises and (b) businesses as a whole have worked in the Regulatory Impact Unit for each year since 2001. [189999]

Ruth Kelly: The number of secondees from private businesses employed by the Regulatory Impact Unit since 2001, as at 1 April of each year, is shown in the following table. To date none of the secondees has been from small and medium enterprises.

As at 1 April	Secondees
2001	4
2002	7
2003	4
2004	3

Special Advisers

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many special adviser posts which carry executive responsibilities are (a) filled and (b) unfilled; and whether it is intended to fill vacant posts. [189987]

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the former Cabinet Office Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley, South (Mr. Alexander), on 10 March 2004, Official Report, column 1515W.
 
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There are no plans to make any further appointments.

DEFENCE

Aerospace Equipment Exports

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will break down the additional aerospace equipment exports listed in UK Defence Statistics by country, for each year since 1997. [188917]

Mr. Ingram: Estimates of total export deliveries and orders for defence equipment and services relating to the United Kingdom are published by the Defence Analytical Services Agency in "UK Defence Statistics"—the latest copy of which is available in the Library of the House. This includes data on additional aerospace equipment and services from a survey that is undertaken by the Society of British Aerospace Companies. A breakdown of the additional aerospace equipment exports line by country is not available, as the data are not collected at this level of detail. The Society of British Aerospace Companies do, however, publish data on aggregate UK Aerospace Companies' Military Export orders by broad regional destination—EU countries and the Rest of the World. These are available in their annual publication "UK Aerospace Facts and Figures".

Afghanistan

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to improve living and working conditions for UK personnel in Afghanistan. [188358]

Mr. Ingram: UK forces personnel in Afghanistan already have access to a comprehensive Operation Welfare Package. The largest concentration of UK Forces personnel in Afghanistan is at Camp Souter, Kabul. Facilities here are generally good, with brick built accommodation, however we are working on plans to upgrade the kitchen facilities and construct more ablutions in the barrack blocks. For personnel living and working in Mazar-e Sharif the intent is to upgrade the kitchen facilities, and replace the tented accommodation with brick-built UK designed complexes. The first stage of this should be completed early next year.

Aircraft (Grounding)

Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what principles govern the grounding of Ministry of Defence aircraft. [189370]

Mr. Ingram: The only principle which governs the grounding of Ministry of Defence aircraft is that of airworthiness: if there is deemed to be an unacceptable risk in continuing with flying operations, aircraft will be grounded

C130K Hercules Fleet

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the case for extending the life of the C130K Hercules fleet beyond 2012. [188460]

 
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Mr. Ingram [holding answer 13 September 2004]: The out of service dates for in-service equipment are routinely reviewed as part of normal planning work within the Ministry of Defence. The Hercules C130K is one such case. No decisions have, however, been taken to extend its life beyond 2012.

Chequers

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF personnel are employed at Chequers; and in what capacity. [190078]

Mr. Caplin: There are currently four RAF personnel employed at Chequers, comprising three stewards and one chef.

Detainees (US)

Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many suspects originally detained by UK forces (a) worldwide since 2001 and (b) in Iraq since 2003 have been handed over to the USA for interrogation; how many of those suspects are still in US custody; and if he will make a statement. [185048]

Mr. Ingram: I refer the right hon. Member to my response to his question (172697) on 1 September 2004, Official Report, column 724W.

Since 2001 the United Kingdom forces have not transferred over any persons they apprehended to the United States specifically for interrogation.

Eurofighter

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what financial commitments are involved in the Eurofighter contract. [188794]

Mr. Ingram: The United Kingdom's financial commitments to date to Eurofighter contracts total £11,193 million covering the development, production and in-service support of Tranche 1 aircraft and some preparatory activities for Tranche 2.

Falkland Islands

Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department takes to ensure the compatibility of equipment held by the Falkland Islands Defence Force with that held by British troops stationed on the islands. [189376]

Mr. Ingram: The Royal Marine Warrant Officer serving on loan to the Falkland Islands Defence Force (FIDF) advises on compatibility of training and equipment. FIDF weapons are compatible with the ammunition types held by British forces on the Islands. The FIDF also trains regularly with the UK garrison to improve interoperability.

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