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QinetiQ

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the proceeds of the QinetiQ flotation will (a) be reinvested with his Department and (b) go to the Treasury. [44154]

John Reid: The Treasury and the Ministry of Defence have agreed that the MOD will be able to retain a substantial proportion of the QinetiQ receipts for reinvestment in the defence programme. The precise proportion to be retained by the MOD will not be determined until the actual value of the overall receipt from the sale is known.

Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether royalties being paid to QinetiQ/Defence Evaluation and Research Agency for the use of intellectual property rights and research before privatisation will continue to be paid to new owners. [42425]

John Reid: The Ministry of Defence does not pay royalties to QinetiQ for MOD's own use of intellectual property generated as a result of MOD contracts. The MOD has free rights to such information for its own use or for use by its contractors for defence and security purposes. The MOD also has rights to disclose such information to other Governments for international co-operation purposes. All these rights apply regardless of whether the work was carried out by DERA or by QinetiQ, and they are not affected in any way by the Initial Public Offering (IPO). These arrangements are consistent with those for all other defence contractors undertaking research under contract for MOD. Existing royalty arrangements in place between QinetiQ/DERA and other parties will also not be affected by the IPO. The shareholders, including the Government, will continue to benefit from the value generated by these payments.
 
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Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the proceeds from the flotation of QinetiQ will be re-invested in defence research. [44155]

John Reid: The Treasury and the Ministry of Defence have agreed that the MOD will be able to retain a substantial proportion of the QinetiQ receipts for reinvestment in the defence programme. The precise proportion to be retained by the MOD will not be determined until the actual value of the overall receipt from the sale is known. The allocation of this money within the MOD will be determined by the normal planning process.

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what restrictions he has placed on QinetiQ's use of technology funded by his Department for third party contracts. [44159]

John Reid: Should QinetiQ wish to use the United Kingdom Government-funded technology in third party contracts, arrangements established in July 2001 allow the Ministry of Defence to prevent transactions that it judges would cause an unmanageable conflict of interest or otherwise be contrary to the defence or security interests of the UK. These arrangements will remain in place after the initial public offering in QinetiQ.

Radioactive Waste

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funds his Department has made available in each year since 1997 to help facilitate the treatment of legacy radioactive waste of military origin held at (a) Sellafield and (b) other civil nuclear sites; and what plans he has to provide such funding in the future to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. [46038]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 26 January 2006]: Due to the complex nature of the treatment of legacy radioactive waste of military origin, I am unable to give details of the funding as this will take time to collate. I will write to the hon. Member when I have the information and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

As part of the transfer of the Ministry of Defence's historic nuclear liabilities to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (through the Department of Trade and Industry) the MOD will be transferring £624 million covering the period of financial years 2005–06 to 2007–08. All responsibility for bids for future funds now rests with the NDA.

Royal Ordnance Chorley

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many products produced by Royal Ordnance Chorley have been strategically stockpiled by (a) Royal Ordnance and (b) his Department. [43618]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 19 January 2006]: Information on ammunition natures held in the strategic stockpile is classified information and as such is withheld as disclosure would not be in the national interest. Any requirement for BAE Systems Land Systems to stockpile ammunition for its own purposes is a matter for the company.
 
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Stonehenge

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the last occasion was on which (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) military personnel met the director general of the National Trust to discuss Stonehenge road issues; and what was discussed. [46669]

Mr. Touhig: Ministers have not met with the director general of the National Trust (DG/NT) to discuss Stonehenge road issues. At DG/NT's request, the chief executive of Defence Estates (CE/DE), met with her on 11 January 2006. DG/NT wanted to explore possible options for re-routing the A303 in the Stonehenge area, and for a further meeting to be arranged between officials. The Department's current plans for the area were explained, and it was made clear that Salisbury plain and the surrounding garrison towns would continue to be required as military sites for the foreseeable future.

NT and DE officials met on 16 January. NT hoped to identify a broad corridor that avoids the archaeological features between the A303 and Larkhill. DE officials reiterated the advice already given and undertook to examine NT proposals in detail, but emphasised that this was an interdepartmental issue.

Vice-Admiral Dunt (CE/DE) is a serving officer; no other military personnel have been involved in the meetings.

Training and Evaluation Capabilities

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to conclude the review of air training and evaluation capabilities. [44174]

Mr. Ingram: A review of the air test and evaluation process and its impact upon the delivery of military capability is due to be reported to senior officials in early 2007.

The Ministry of Defence future requirement for the air test, evaluation and training services capability provided by QinetiQ under a long-term partnering agreement is also being assessed as part of the first quinquennial review of the contract.

War Pensions Committee

Mr. Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether a war pensions committee panel is to be set up in respect of the case of the late Lieutenant William Norbury and his widow. [45228]

Mr. Touhig: No war pensions committee has received a formal request. A war pensions committee panel will be set up on receipt of a formal request from Mrs. Norbury.

Mr. Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is within the remit of war pensions committee panels to determine appropriate sums to be paid in respect of past periods for which war disability pensions were not paid due to errors. [45232]

Mr. Touhig: It is not within the remit of war pensions committees (WPCs) to determine amounts to be paid to pensioners. The WPCs are advisory bodies who can hear complaints and make recommendations to the Veterans Agency for consideration.
 
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ELECTORAL COMMISSION

General Election Expenditure

29. Mr. Allen: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission if the Commission will review the limits on expenditure for candidates in general elections; and if he will make a statement. [46118]

Peter Viggers: In its report on The funding of political parties" published in 2004, the Electoral Commission identified a need to review the balance between party and candidate spending limits at all relevant elections. The Commission will consider how to take forward the recommendations it made when the Government have responded to the report.

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