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Missile Defence

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the information referred to in paragraphs 7.2 to 7.7 of the Memorandum of Understanding between the United Kingdom and United States on research, development, tests and evaluation of ballistic missile defence capabilities and systems will be subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [195385]

Mr. Hoon: All recorded information held by the Ministry of Defence is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The paragraphs in question refer to information generated by both past and future collaborative work. We would consider on a case-by-case basis any requests for such information to be disclosed under the Act.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total budget agreed to date for implementation of co-operation with the United States on research, development, tests and evaluation of ballistic missile defence capabilities and systems is; and what proportion will be paid by the United Kingdom. [195386]

Mr. Hoon: There is no agreed budget with the United States for co-operation on ballistic missile defence. Under the terms of the recently signed Research
 
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Development Test and Evaluation Annex, any such funding will be agreed on a project-by-project basis; to date there are no agreed projects. Details of the United Kingdom funding for ballistic missile defence research were given in my reply of 7 June 2004, Official Report, column 211W, to the hon. Member for Aldershot (Mr. Howarth).

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the relationship between the 1958 (as amended) US/UK mutual Defense Agreements on Atomic Energy Matters and the US/UK Memorandum of Understanding on research, development, test and evaluation of ballistic missile defence capabilities and systems, dated 12 June 2003. [195387]

Mr. Hoon: I assume my hon. Friend is referring to the Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Annex signed on 12 October 2004, the Introduction to which recognises the 1958 US/UK Mutual Defence Agreement. This reference is an acknowledgement that, in the event that any exchange of background nuclear information was required to inform ballistic missile co-operative work, such an exchange would need to take place under the information exchange provisions of the 1958 Agreement.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written statement of 12 October 2004, Official Report, columns 9–10WS, on missile defence, how many officials and scientists from his Department have been seconded to the US Missile Defense Agency; what plans there are for future secondments to that Agency; how many US Department of Defense officials and scientists have been seconded to the United Kingdom Missile Defence Centre; and what plans there are for future secondments to the Centre. [195411]

Mr. Hoon: Under the provisions of the Participating Personnel Attachment to the 2003 UK/US Ballistic Missile Defence Framework Agreement, two Ministry of Defence personnel are currently seconded to the Missile Defence Agency (MDA) or MDA-sponsored posts and plans are in place to send a further two by spring 2005. The US currently has two personnel seconded to the UK Missile Defence Centre (MDC) or MDC-sponsored posts under this agreement and two further secondments are being planned.

Playing Fields

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list playing fields and other sites used now or previously for sport and recreation which have been identified for disposal in the period 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2008, broken down by (a) location and (b) county; and what estimate has been made of likely receipts. [195595]

Mr. Caplin: The information is not held centrally and will take time to collate. I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Warships

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what year he plans to order replacements for (a) HMS Talent, (b) HMS Triumph, (c) HMS Torbay and (d) HMS Trenchant. [194473]

 
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Mr. Ingram: We are not directly replacing the Trafalgar class of nuclear attack submarines platform by platform. HMS Astute will be the first of the next class of nuclear attack submarines, with a planned in service date of 2009. The first three Astute class boats are currently on order; decisions on further buys will be made when appropriate.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Vision Boards

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the (a) names and (b) biographical details are of the members of Lancaster Vision Board; and what the (i) names and (ii) addresses are of the businesses or organisations that they represent. [192976]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 21 October 2004]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave her today to question numbers: 192919, 192920, 192921,192922, 192926, 192927 and 192928.

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) who funds the running costs of (a) vision boards in the North West and (b) Lancaster vision board; [192919]

(2) under whose authority a vision board is set up; [192920]

(3) what the procedures are for (a) appointing to and (b) removing members from a vision board; [192921]

(4) how many vision boards there are in the North West of England; [192922]

(5) who is entitled to apply to become a member of a vision board; and what the procedures governing such applications are; [192926]

(6) where copies of the constitution for the Lancaster vision board are made available; [192927]

(7) what criteria are used for appointing members to the Lancaster vision board. [192928]

Jacqui Smith: The Northwest Development Agency has encouraged the establishment of vision boards in the North West, with the aim of promoting economic leadership at a local level with an emphasis on private sector engagement.

Vision boards have either been established, or are being developed, in Burnley, Cumbria, Lancaster, Northwich and Preston. Local authorities are taking a leading role in determining local structures. The secretariat resources for the vision boards are provided through the local authority with the exception of Cumbria Vision.

Details of the membership and constitution of the Lancaster Vision Board can be obtained from Lancaster city council.

Post Offices

Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she last met Postwatch to discuss (a) the protection of Post Office customers and
 
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(b) its action in ensuring that over 95 per cent. of people live within one mile of the nearest Post Office; and if she will make a statement. [194952]

Mr. Sutcliffe: Ministers and officials of the Department meet frequently with Postwatch to discuss a wide range of issues relating to customers. Responsibility for meeting its commitment to ensure that, at the end the urban network reinvention programme at least 95 per cent. nationally of the population in urban areas will still live within 1 mile of their nearest post offices rests with Post Office Ltd.

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices in Scotland have closed as part of the Urban Network Reinvention Programme. [195159]

Mr. Sutcliffe: I understand from Post Office Ltd. that 100 post office branches have closed to date in Scotland as part of the Urban Network Reinvention programme.

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices proposed for closure under the Urban Reinvention Programme and not opposed by Postwatch have since been kept open as a result of the public consultation. [195160]

Mr. Sutcliffe: Decisions on post office closures are an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. and I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many responses Post Office Ltd received to the public consultations on the proposed closure of (a) Clermiston, (b) East Craigs, (c) Strachan Road, (d) South Gyle, (e) Saughtonhall, (f) Stenhouse Cross, (g) Murrayfield, (h) Fairmilehead, (i) Mayfield, (j) Joppa and (k) Newhaven post offices in Edinburgh. [195161]

Mr. Sutcliffe: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. and I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

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