---

5 Apr 2005 : Column 1369W—continued

Naval Studies

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the terms of reference of the (a) Maritime Conference Study, (b) Submarine Acquisition Modernisation Study and (c) Surface Ship Support Study are; and when he expects each to conclude its work. [222438]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 17 March 2005]: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 21 March 2005, Official Report, column 572W, to the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Robathan), on 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 127W to the hon. Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Soames), and 10 March 2005, Official Report, column 1996W, to the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Robathan).

Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will provide a substantive answer to the question, ref. 209882, from the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan. [216229]

 
5 Apr 2005 : Column 1370W
 

Mr. Hoon: I replied to the hon. Member on 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 256W.

RAF Menwith Hill

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by what mechanism the US authorities pay his Department's Police Agency for policing activities at RAF Menwith Hill. [223681]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 24 March 2005]: The United States authorities pay for the Ministry of Defence Police Agency against bills raised on the Agency's behalf by the MOD Liaison Office at RAF Mildenhall. These bills are raised on a weekly basis and in arrears. At the end of each month, Mildenhall transfer the income from payments made by the US to the MOD Police Agency. Bills are based on the salaries of Agency personnel, both police and civilian, deployed to Menwith Hill and any other costs that are appropriate in accordance with the 1989 Memorandum of Understanding between the United States European Command (EUCOM), represented by the Headquarters Third Air Force, and the United Kingdom MOD concerning the role and responsibilities of MOD police deployed at bases occupied by United States Forces in the UK.

Surplus Assets Sales

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the value of sales of surplus assets from his Department was in each year since 2000–01. [220959]

Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to Key Target1 of the Key Targets Table in the Ministry of Defence's Disposal Services Agency (DSA)'s Annual Report and Accounts that were laid before the House for each of those years respectively. The 2003–04 report, laid before the House on 15 July 2004, can be viewed on the DSA's website www.edisposals.com. The figures include receipts from sales undertaken by the DSA on behalf of its main customer—the MOD—and other Government Departments and other customers. The DSA has sole authority to act to dispose of all MOD surplus equipments bar land and property and nuclear material.

Gross accrued receipts from the sale of surplus land and property are disclosed in the Defence estates accounts that were laid before the House for each of the years 2000–01 to 2003–04. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

Both the DSA's Annual Report and Accounts and the Defence estate accounts in respect of 2004–05 are due to be laid before the House in advance of the summer recess.

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defencewhether his Department sold any surplus stockon the eBay auction website, in each year since 2000–01. [220956]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 9 March 2005]: The Ministry of Defence's Disposal Services Agency (DSA)has sole authority to act to dispose of surplus equipment. The majority of equipments are sold through the DSA's network of contractors, with whom it has marketing agreements, who have the freedom to market and sell as they choose so as to optimise returns
 
5 Apr 2005 : Column 1371W
 
for the taxpayer. These contractors have occasionally used the eBay website in the last few years but records are not held centrally. The DSA has not used eBay directly.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Departmental Budget

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State forTrade and Industry what the planned (a) capital and (b) resource budget for her Department is for 2011–12. [223440]

Ms Hewitt: Under the Spending Review process, budget allocations are given for the three years ahead. Following Spending Review 2004 we therefore have detailed spending plans in place for 2005–06, 2006–07, and 2007–08. The Spending Review process does not provide for the setting of budgets more than three years ahead.

Economic Partnership Agreements

Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her written ministerial statement of 22 March 2005, Official Report, columns 62–3W, on economic partnership agreements, on what basis her Department arrived at the period of 20 years given unconditionally to African, Caribbean and Pacific countries to open their markets to trade with the EU, following implementation of any given EU Economic Partnership Agreement; and whether she plans to make this period fully reciprocal. [224079]

Ms Hewitt [holding answer 4 April 2005]: In recommending a transition period of 20 years, the Government took into consideration the views of the ACP countries, the ACP submission in the current WTO negotiations on Article 24 of the GATT, which suggested a minimum of 18 years for developing countries, and the transition period agreed in other recent regional trade agreements. The Government believe that each ACP regional group should make its own decisions on the timing, pace, sequencing, and product coverage of market opening in line with individual countries' national development plans and poverty reduction strategies. Regional groups should have the flexibility to move towards more open markets along a non-linear path if necessary.

Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her written ministerial statement of 22 March 2005, Official Report, columns 62–3WS, on economic partnership agreements, whether she has earmarked specific UK funds to be made available via the EU to African, Caribbean and Pacific countries to enable them to benefit from trade reforms. [224137]

Ms Hewitt [holding answer 4 April 2005]: The UK cannot specifically earmark funds provided through the EU for the ACP. However the UK, through DFID's development assistance programmes, is continuing to make available funds for EPA policy research and capacity building for the ACP regional group secretariats and negotiators. This is intended to help the ACP structure EPAs in their development interests and assist them to get the best deal from the negotiations.
 
5 Apr 2005 : Column 1372W
 

Equipment Leasing

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the equipment leasing arrangements entered into by her Department in each of the last two years; and what the cost was to public funds in each case. [202383]

Ms Hewitt: The total cost to the Department and its Executive Agencies of hiring office equipment under operating leases for the last two years was:
£ million

	Cost of hiring office equipment
2003–04	1.6
2002–03	1.1

In addition, the Department has an off-balance sheet PFI contract for the provision to it of a wide range of information systems and services, including infrastructure management, IT development, business process re-engineering, consultancy advice and technology refresh. This is treated as an operating lease under the PFI guidance issued by HM Treasury. The total payments under this contract in 2003–04 amounted to £37 million. In 2002–03 this total was £35 million. It is not possible to split this total into payments for the use of equipment as opposed to payments for services.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Committee on the implementation of projects promoting co-operation and commercial relations between the European Union and the industrialised countries of North America, the Far East and Australasia met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement. [217836]

Mr. Alexander: The Committee has met four times (on each occasion in Brussels) since it was established in July 2002 (under the Spanish presidency); January 2003 (Greek presidency); January 2004 (Irish presidency); and October 2004 (Dutch presidency). Officials from UK Trade and Investment attended each meeting with the exception of meeting during the Irish presidency.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Committee for the Adaptation to Technical Progress of Directives on the Removal of Technical Barriers to Trade in the Sector of Cosmetics met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement. [217911]

Mr. Sutcliffe: Policy on cosmetic products under Council Directive 76/768/EE is discussed and agreed by the Standing Committee on Cosmetic Products which meets in Brussels four or five times a year. Representatives from the DTI always attend the Committee meetings.
 
5 Apr 2005 : Column 1373W
 

---