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21 Jun 2005 : Column 897W—continued
Ofcom
Mr. Laurence Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of Statefor Culture, Media and Sport (1) what guidelines Ofcom work to when deciding whether to investigate complaints made against television programmes; and if she will make a statement; [6176]
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(2) how many complaints were received by Ofcom concerning the programme, Jerry Springer The Opera"; what investigations took place into the programme; and if she will make a statement. [6177]
James Purnell: The matters raised are the responsibility of the Office of Communications (Ofcom) as independent regulator. Accordingly, my officials have asked the Chief Executive of Ofcom to respond directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the Chief Executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Queen Mother Memorial
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with (a) other Government Departments, (b) heritage organisations and (c) the London Assembly about the proposed memorial to the late Queen Mother. [6055]
Mr. Lammy: Discussions have been held with HM Treasury, The Royal Household and The Royal Parks about the proposed memorial.
Television Licence
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many TV licence inspectors there were in London in each year since 1997. [5260]
James Purnell: The BBC has statutory responsibility for the administration of the television licensing system and TV Licensing carries out the day to day administration under contract to the Corporation. Ihave therefore asked the BBC's Head of Revenue Management to consider the question raised by the hon. Member and to write to her direct, placing a copy of the reply in the Libraries of both Houses.
Trooping the Colour
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding the Government have allocated for Trooping the Colour in each year since 1996. [5409]
Mr. Lammy: The Queen's Birthday Parade (Trooping the Colour) is part of the core activities of the Ministry of Defence, and no extra funding is allocated. The only expenditure the Government allocate for Trooping the Colour is for flag flying and preparing and sanding all roads and gun salute areas and preparing the parade ground and clearing up after the event. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is responsible for flying the Union flags down the Mall and the Commonwealth flags along Horseguards Road; the Royal Parks are responsible for preparing the Royal Parks for the event. The following table shows the total amount of funding allocated by the Government from 1996.
(1)As other figures are unavailable
(2)Provisional
(3)Proposed expenditure
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Village Hall Committees
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what evidence she has collated of village hall committees carrying on a business without an appropriate licence. [5908]
James Purnell [holding answer 20 June 2005]: Evidence of this sort is not collated centrally. It is for the appropriate enforcement authorities, such as the police and licensing authorities, to consider matters of this sort.
DEFENCE
Armoured Vehicles
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the assessment phase of the Future Rapid Effects System undertaken by Atkins will have to comply with the objectives and criteria of the European Defence Agency. [5379]
Mr. Ingram: The FRES Assessment Phase is not required to comply with any European Defence Agency (EDA) objectives or criteria. However, the United Kingdom supports the EDA in its work to ascertain the potential for co-operation/collaboration in the future procurement of Armoured Fighting Vehicles. The FRES Assessment Phase will take account of information from a number of sources, one of which will be the EDA, albeit the work of the EDA is still at an early stage.
Executive Agency Costs
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the forecasted estimated annual running costs were of the (a) Medical Supplies Agency and (b) Warship Supply Agency if it had operated as a stand-alone agency. [3960]
Mr. Ingram: The estimated annual running costs for the Medical Supplies Agency (not including Stock Consumption of £40.5 million) for financial year 2004–05 are £28.5million. This is extracted from MSA Annual Accounts, which are in the process of being audited by the National Audit Office and therefore, may be subject to change.
Had the MSA continued operating as an Agency the estimated running costs (again not including Stock Consumption) for FY 2005–06 are £21.5 million.
The Warship Support Agency's net operating costs for 2004–05 were some £2,664 million. This is also taken from the Agency's Annual Accounts, which are being audited by the National Audit Office and therefore may be subject to change.
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Had the WSA continued operating as an Agency the estimated running costs for FY 2005–06 are £2,623 million.
Fylingdales
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provision is made in the contract between his Department and the US authorities for the continuing use of Fylingdales. [6135]
Mr. Ingram: The operation and maintenance of RAF Fylingdales is governed by an Exchange of Notes, under which the US provides the specialist equipment there while the UK operates and maintains the Station. The data produced by the radar at RAF Fylingdales are shared between the UK and the US under the terms of a UK-US Combined Operating Agreement.
Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability Programme
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) class and role, (b) date of entry into service, (c) expected date of removal from service, (d) average annual cost of maintenance over the period of service and (e) cost of building is of each ship proposed by the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability programme; and if he will make a statement. [6170]
Mr. Ingram: The Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) programme is currently in the Concept Phase and no decisions have yet been made on the class and role, timing or costs of the programme. These matters will be addressed during the Assessment Phase, which is planned to commence shortly.
Potton Island
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the former defence base at Potton Island, near Southend, is used for; whether consideration has been given to its release for a non-military purpose; what assessment has been made of impediments to a non-military use arising from his Department's use of the land; and if he will make a statement. [5007]
Mr. Touhig: Potton Island continues to be part of the group of islands that make up the Test and Evaluation Ranges at Shoeburyness and is used as part of the safety zone for the testing that takes place at the Ranges. A significant area of Potton Island is, however, leased for farming. Potton Island has been included in the Land Quality Assessment that is being carried out on the whole of Shoeburyness. Once the information from this assessment is available the future of the site will be reviewed.
Typhoon Aircraft
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will re-examine the case for operating Typhoon aircraft from the new aircraft carriers. [5761]
Mr. Ingram:
As I have previously indicated, we have no current plans for Typhoon to operate from our future aircraft carriers.
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