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22 Mar 2005 : Column 775W—continued
Christmas Cards
David Davis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many official Christmas cards were sent out by his Department in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004; [205131]
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(2) what the cost was of purchasing official departmental Christmas cards in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004; [205130]
(3) what the cost of postage was for official departmental Christmas cards in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004; [205129]
(4) what percentage of official departmental Christmas cards included a contribution to charity in their cost; and which charities benefited from such a contribution; [205128]
(5) how many departmental staff have responsibility for preparing Christmas cards; [205127]
(6) how many hours of staff time were taken up in preparation of Christmas cards in 2004. [205126]
Mr. Caplin: Expenditure on the purchase and postage of official Christmas cards is governed by departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in Government Accounting. This allows for Ministers, members of the Defence Council, Head of Defence Export Services and the Director General of Media and Communications to send Christmas cards at public expense. Additionally, resulting from representational responsibilities at management levels below the Defence Council, individual Top Level Budget Holders may personally send a modest amount of Christmas cards at public expense. The regulations also allow for some TLB business areas to send official Christmas cards (on an exceptional basis) where this would facilitate the achievement of specific business objectives.
The information we have for 2003 and 2004 is as follows:
| 2003 | 2004 | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of cards(33) | 1,972 | 2,183 |
| Cost (£) | 1,743 | 1,664 |
| Charity (percentage) | n/k | (34)9 |
| Postage | (35)— | (35)— |
| Staff | (36)— | (36)— |
| Staff time | (36)— | (36)— |
(33) Purchased with public funds.
(34) Nine per cent. were notified as bought from charitable organisations. The charities benefiting from this were the Army Benevolent Fund and the RAF Benevolent Fund.
(35) Accurate information on the cost of postage of official department Christmas cards is not held centrally.
(36) Information on the number of staff involved in the preparation of Christmas cards and the staff time taken is not held centrally.
Civilian/Service Jobs (Scotland)
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's (a) civilian and (b) service jobs there were at each (i) Royal Navy, (ii) Army, (iii) Royal Air Force and (iv) Reserves defence installation in Scotland for the year ended (A) 1 April 2004, (B) 1 April 2001 and (C) 1 April 1997; what the most recent available figures are; and if he will make a statement. [222869]
Mr. Caplin
[holding answer 21 March 2005]: Figures for the number of civilian jobs by defence installation are not held centrally. Defence Analytical Services Agency does however publish figures for the number of
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personnel employed in Scotland. These can be found in the annual UK Defence Statistics, a copy of which is placed in the Library of the House and can also be accessed via the DASA website: www.dasa.mod.uk.
Figures for the number of Service jobs by defence installation are not held centrally. Tri Service Publication (TSP) 10, shows the distribution of UK Regular forces across UK by Government Office Region and local authority. Copies of TSP 10 can be found in the Library of the House.
Defence Information Infrastructure
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the financing for the Defence Information Infrastructure will divert funds from other military programmes. [214806]
Mr. Caplin: There are no plans to divert additional funds to finance the Defence Information Infrastructure. Funding for Defence Information Infrastructure is provided as part of the current Defence-wide programme which seeks to ensure the optimum balance of capabilities to deliver Government objectives within available resources.
Departmental Efficiency Programme
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the planned headcount changes attributable to his Department's efficiency programme are for the (a) Pay and Personnel Agency, (b) Queen Victoria School, (c) RAF Training Group Defence Agency, (d) Service Children's Education, (e) Veterans Agency and (f) Warship Support Agency for financial years (i) 2005–06, (ii) 2006–07 and (iii) 2007–08; [209333]
(2) what the planned headcount changes attributable to his Department's efficiency programme are for the (a) Commander-in-Chief Fleet, (b) General Officer Commanding (Northern Ireland), (c) Commander-in-Chief Land Command, (d) Commander-in-Chief Strike Command, (e) Chief of Joint Operations and (f) Chief of Defence Logistics for financial years (i) 2005–06, (ii) 2006–07 and (iii) 2007–08; [209334]
(3) what the planned headcount changes attributable to his Department's efficiency programme are for the (a) Second Sea Lord/Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command, (b) Adjutant General, (c) Commander-in-Chief Personnel and Training Command, (d) Central, (e) Defence Procurement Agency and (f) Corporate Science and Technology for financial years (i) 2005–06, (ii) 2006–07 and (iii) 2007–08; [209335]
(4) what the planned headcount changes, attributable to his Department's efficiency programme are for the (a) Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency, (b) Army Training and Recruiting Agency, (c) British Forces Post Office, (d) Defence Analytical Services Agency and (e) Defence Bills Agency for financial years (i) 2005–06, (ii) 2006–07 and (iii) 2007–08; [209382]
(5) what the planned headcount changes, attributable to his Department's efficiency programme are for the (a) Defence Communication Services Agency, (b) Defence Dental Agency, (c) Defence Estates, (d) Defence Geographic and Imagery Intelligence
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Agency and (e) Defence Intelligence and Security Centre for financial years (i) 2005–06, (ii) 2006–07 and (iii) 2007–08; [209383]
(6) what the planned headcount changes, attributable to his Department's efficiency programme are for the (a) Defence Medical Training Agency, (b) Defence Procurement Agency, (c) Defence Storage and Distribution Agency, (d) Defence Transport and Movements Agency and (e) Defence Vetting Agency for financial years (i) 2005–06, (ii) 2006–07 and (iii) 2007–08; [209384]
(7) what the planned headcount changes, attributable to his Department's efficiency programme are for the (a) Disposal Services Agency, (b) Duke of York's Royal Military School, (c) Medical Supply Agency, (d) Ministry of Defence and Guarding Agency and (e) Naval Recruiting and Training Agency for financial years (i) 2005–06, (ii) 2006–07 and (iii) 2007–08. [209385]
Mr. Caplin: The Spending Review announcement in July 2004 committed the MOD to reductions of some 10,000 UK-based civilian posts plus 1,000 locally engaged civilian posts overseas by April 2008.
Agreements have been reached between Top Level Budget Holders (TLBs) and the Defence Resource and Planning Division (Def RP) on the number of civilian posts to be reduced during the next three financial years (i.e. in the period to 31 March 2008). A table showing a breakdown by TLB follows. This table represents our current assessment of how the reductions will be achieved (in some cases final decisions have yet to be taken) and it is not yet clear how the reductions will affect individual establishments.
(37) Excludes Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) personnel but includes HR and Finance Function Reductions.
Notes:
1. Totals shown are cumulative. Numbers are set out to the nearest 10, and represent our current assessment of how these reductions will be achieved (in some cases final decisions have yet to be taken). Numbers are based on full-time equivalent mid-year averages and include locally employed civilians (LEG). These figures do not include civilians employed in trading funds.
2. Reductions Programmed in STP"—These are posts which have been assumed will not continue from previous years' planning rounds. These posts fall mainly within the DLO, although some smaller reductions also fall within other TLBs and are due mainly to reorganisation measures which were ongoing prior to the efficiency programme.
3. DCP Headcount Reduction"—These are posts which are being reduced as a result of the Department's major change initiative—the defence change programme (DCP).
4. LEC Measure Headcount Reduction"—In addition to the reduction in numbers of UK-based civil servant, the number of locally employed civilians (LECs) employed supporting permanently based forces is planned to reduce by up to 1,000 in the same time frame. Numbers of LECs employed in operational theatres have not been included in the planning.
5. Other Rationalisation and Efficiencies"—These are posts which are being reduced as a result of non-defence change programme efficiency initiatives. The majority of these posts will come from reduced requirements for staff in, for example, the Head Office in Whitehall and in other Headquarters.
6. Force Structure Reductions"—Posts which will be reduced as a result of changes to the force structure.
7. Other Headcount Reductions"—Posts which are being reduced for reasons not included in the categories above.
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