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Royal Green Jackets

Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the Royal Green Jackets Regiment. [30336]

Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence's written ministerial statement on 24 November 2005, Official Report, columns 129–33WS, which states that the Royal Green Jackets will form the 2nd and 4th battalions of the Rifles. The Rifles will form in 2007.
 
29 Nov 2005 : Column 337W
 

The Rifles will be established from the two battalions of the Royal Green Jackets, the two battalions of the Light Infantry, the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry and the Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry. All six battalions have elected to merge within the Rifles, following extensive consultation within the regiments and the division, to produce a regiment which embodies the best traditions of the Light Division. The five battalions within the Rifles will be capable of covering every future operational role envisaged and will be able to provide a variety of roles and locations for its serving soldiers.

Shropshire Light Infantry

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will reverse his decision to change the name of the Shropshire Light Infantry to the Rifles. [33359]

John Reid: The new title of the Rifles is the result of extensive consultation within the Light Division and the regiments concerned to find a fitting title to embody their heritage and traditions. The title was adopted with the full agreement of the representatives of the Light Infantry, the Royal Green Jackets, the Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry and the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry and I have no plans to change it.

Vanguard Submarines

Mr. Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his plans to modify Vanguard class submarines. [32353]

John Reid: Since commissioning, a number of modifications to the Vanguard class submarine platforms have been planned, some of which have already been implemented. These include an upgrade to the nuclear reactor core as well as obsolescence management programmes, such as a technology demonstrator programme to update Sonar 2054, and replacement of elements of the radio system. As with any other platform, we routinely assess obsolescence issues that may occur throughout platform life.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION

Public Relations

Mr. Kemp: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission how much the Electoral Commission has spent on public relations companies and consultants in each of the last five years. [31495]

Peter Viggers: The Commission informs me that its expenditure on public relations companies and consultants, to support its public awareness work under section 13 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, in each of the years concerned is as set out in the following table:

	Expenditure (£)
2001–02	76,775
2002–03	272,131
2003–04	267,598
2004–05	332,891
2005–06	(10)307,120
(10) Estimated.

 
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SCOTLAND

Bank Notes

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with (a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) the Scottish Executive on issuing of bank notes in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [32608]

David Cairns: My right hon. Friend has regular discussions on a range of issues with both the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Scottish Executive. During the Treasury's consultation on their document Banknote issue arrangements in Scotland and Northern Ireland" the Scotland Office facilitated a forum between Treasury officials, the Bank of England, Scottish issuing banks and representative organisations. The consultation period has now concluded and it is for the Treasury to consider the responses.

Consultants/Special Advisers

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list departmental projects conducted by consultants in each year since 2000; what the cost was in each case; and what the total cost of employing consultants was in each year. [29053]

David Cairns: The cost of projects conducted by consultants in each year since 2000–01 are listed as follows:

	Description	Cost (£)
2000–01	A comparison study on motor taxation across Europe	5,465
	Total	5,465
2001–02	Professional services in relation to a proposed Scotland to Northern Ireland Ferry Service	17,864
	Total	17,864
2002–03	Professional services in relation to a proposed Scotland to Northern Ireland Ferry Service	4,620
	Report on Devolution in Europe	6,100
	Total	10,720
2003–04	Senior Civil Service Assessment Centre	10,044
	Total	10,044
2004–05	Management Review and Assessment Centre for Head of Scotland Office	2,817
	Total	2,817

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) consultants and (b) special advisers were employed by his Department in each year since 1997; what the cost of each was in each year; and if he will make a statement. [27415]

 
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David Cairns: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. The number and spend on consultants since then has been:

	Number	£
1999–2000	0	0
2000–01	1	5,465
2001–02	1	17,864
2002–03	2	10,720
2003–04	1	10,044
2004–05	1	2,817

Since 2003, the Government have published, on an annual basis, the names and overall cost of special advisers and the number in each pay band. For the most recent information, I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 21 July 2005, Official Report, columns 158–162WS. Information on the numbers of special advisers prior to 2003 was provided at regular intervals and this information is available in the Library of the House.

TREASURY

Bank Notes

John Thurso: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether the launch of the consultation on the banknote issue arrangements in Scotland and Northern Ireland conformed with Cabinet Office regulations on consultation procedure; [32605]

(2) how many responses he has received to the consultation on banknote issue arrangements in Scotland and Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement; [32606]

(3) if he will list the representations received on the issuing arrangements of banknotes in Scotland and Northern Ireland prior to the launch of the banknote issue arrangements in Scotland and Northern Ireland consultation document from (a) note issuing banks,(b) non-note issuing banks, and (c) other third parties. [32607]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The launch of the consultation was consistent with the Cabinet Office's Code of Practice on Consultation. The consultation exercise was initially set for eight weeks because the proposals were technical in nature and of interest to a limited number of stakeholders. In response to requests from stakeholders I agreed to extend the consultation period by four weeks. In addition to the written consultation, several face-to-face meetings took place between my officials and stakeholders.

The Treasury received 34 responses to the consultation and we will publish a summary of all responses and our response to the consultation in due course. At present, I have no plans to make a statement but will consider doing so when it comes to publishing our response to the consultation.

The Treasury has had frequent informal discussions with various Government Departments and the Bank of England on the subject of the banknote issue
 
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arrangements in Scotland and Northern Ireland but received no representations on this subject from any commercial note issuing bank or private sector third parties, prior to the launch of the consultation in July of this year.

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