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31 Jan 2006 : Column 319W—continued
QinetiQ
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what aspects of the QinetiQ flotation makes it unsuitable for private investors. [44179]
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John Reid: The QinetiQ flotation is not unsuitable for private investors. Private investors are able to apply for shares through a private client stockbroker if they so wish, although there is no guarantee any specific applicant will be successful. Based on advice from our financial advisers, the Government do not believe that significant expenditure on a retail offering to encourage private investors to apply for shares would present value for money for the taxpayer. Once trading has commenced private investors will also be able to buy shares in the normal way.
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether proceeds from the sale of QinetiQ will be kept by the Ministry of Defence. [42422]
John Reid: We have agreed with HM Treasury that the Ministry of Defence will be able to retain a substantial proportion of the QinetiQ receipts for reinvestment in the defence programme.
Sea Cadets
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many sea cadets there were in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [45686]
Mr. Touhig: Statistics on the number of sea cadets are published by the Defence Analytical Services Agency (DASA) and can be found in Tri-Service Publication number seven (TSP 07), a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. Details can also be found on the DASA website at: www.dasa.mod.uk/natstats/tsp7/tsp7tab2.html.
Territorial Army
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when a Territorial Army applicant becomes officially classified as a recruit; and what percentage of Territorial Army recruits did not complete basic Phase 1 and 2 training in each of the last five years. [43688]
Mr. Touhig: A Territorial Army applicant is officially classed as a recruit once he or she has been Attested. Information on the number of Territorial Army recruits who did not complete basic Phase 1 and 2 training in each of the last five years is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Tristars
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many Tristars are available to transport soldiers to and from (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan; [45585]
(2) how many C-17s are available to transport soldiers to and from (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan. [45687]
Mr. Ingram: Two of the RAF fleet of Tristars are typically available for use in moving passengers to and from Iraq. Two of the RAF C17s are also typically available for both Iraq and Afghanistan, but the service for Iraq normally carries only freight while that for Afghanistan carries a mix of passengers and freight.
War Pensions Committee
Mr. Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the procedure is for resolving long-outstanding claims for war disablement pensions. [45286]
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Mr. Touhig: The Veterans Agency is set key performance targets to process war pension claims.
Internal targets, specific to the measurement of performance of older cases, are set at the start of each financial year, thus ensuring that the momentum on each case is sustained. Additionally, operational managers within the Veterans Agency have access to information in respect of these cases, enabling them to direct action to keep them on track.
As a result of this proactive approach, the number of un-cleared claims in excess of 12-months-old has reduced considerably. At the end of December 2005, there were 82 such cases.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Alcohol Sales
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many 24-hour licences for the sale of alcohol were granted to (a) licensed premises, (b) supermarkets and (c) off-licences in 2005. [45962]
James Purnell: Based on a DCMS telephone survey of licensing authorities, we estimate that around 1,000 licences have been granted permitting the sale of alcohol for 24 hours. Of these, approximately 330 have been for pubs and nightclubs, approximately 360 for supermarkets, and approximately 130 for off-licences and convenience stores.
Anniversary Events
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much (a) Lottery funding and (b) grant in aid has been spent on commemorating anniversary events since 1990, broken down by event celebrated; and if she will make a statement. [45994]
Mr. Caborn: The amount of grant in aid funding spent on commemorating anniversary events since 1990, broken down by event, is not collected centrally. Similarly, the Lottery Awards Database does not hold this information in the form requested.
Grant in aid funding from a variety of Government Departments and other public bodies will have contributed to many anniversary and commemorative events since 1990. In addition Lottery funding will also have been used to support such events at the national level and may also have supported celebrations at a more local level.
Avian Influenza
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Royal Pigeon Racing Association on a possible avian influenza pandemic in the United Kingdom. [46601]
Mr. Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
Regular meetings are held between my officials and a number of key stakeholders, including the Royal Pigeon Racing Association (RPRA), to discuss the latest issues and developments on avian influenza (AI). The RPRA
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are also provided with regular updates and informed if there are any AI press notices, statements or any AI related EU decisions.
Civil Servants (Overseas Visits)
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what costs were incurred by her Department as a result of sending civil servants on overseas visits in each of the last 10 years. [46288]
Mr. Lammy: The following table shows overall departmental expenditure for overseas travel and subsistence by officials. Expenditure for the earlier year is not recorded in the format requested and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
All official travel is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the civil service management code.
(5) To 31 December 2005.
Departmental Sustainable Development
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what reduction in water consumption her Department made between 1 April 2002 and 31 March 2005. [46890]
Mr. Lammy: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport signed up for the Office for Government Commerce's Watermark" project in 2002, but their consultants were unable to identify opportunities for reductions in water consumption.
The Department is about to undergo a water usage audit by the utility supplier, Thames Water, and will follow their recommendations.
The Department will commence refurbishment of its main headquarters building in the next financial year, and is planning to install water saving devices as part of the project.
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of non-office sites on her Department's estate where there are opportunities for significant savings in water consumption. [46891]
Mr. Lammy: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not have any non-office sites on its estate.
Film Council
Mr. Forth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding the Government allocated to the UK Film Council in each of the last five years. [45706]
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James Purnell: Government funding directly allocated to UK Film Council in each of the last five years is detailed in the table:
| £ million | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Grant In Aid | Lottery | Other(6) | |
| 2004–05 | 24.11 | 29.9 | 0.8 |
| 2003–04 | 24.11 | 28.4 | — |
| 2002–03 | 24.11 | 32.4 | — |
| 2001–02 | 20.86 | 36.6 | — |
| 2000–01 | 21.76 | 34.1 | — |
(6) In 2004–05, a £0.8 million modernisation award was made to the British Film Institute by the DCMS and administered by UK Film Council.
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