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23 Mar 2006 : Column 531W—continued
Your Say" Campaigns
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the total public expenditure was on the Your Say" regional assembly publicity campaigns in (a) the North East, (b) North West and (c) Yorkshire and Humberside. [60098]
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Mr. Woolas: The total sum spent on the Your Say" information campaign across all three regions was £3.24 million.
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| North East | 1.22 |
| North West | 1.07 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 0.95 |
DEFENCE
Antenna Test Facilities
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans the Department has for antenna test and measurement facilities at Pershore. [44167]
Mr. Ingram: As part of its site rationalisation programme, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory is planning to move its antenna test and measurement facility at Pershore to either Porton Down or Fort Halstead.
A final decision is dependent on identifying a suitable location on one of the sites. This decision will be influenced by both the size of the facility and the suitability of electrical environment.
Defence Export Services Organisation
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the operating costs of the Defence Export Services Organisation were in the last three financial years; and what the (a) expenditure and (b) receipts of the organisation were in each year. [60508]
Mr. Ingram: Operating costs for the last three financial years are as follows.
| £ Million | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial year | Expenditure | Receipts | Net operating costs |
| 2003–04 | 58.348 | -42.203 | 16.145 |
| 2004–05 | 59.960 | -43.038 | 16.922 |
| 2005–06(34) | 51.6 | -38.0 | 13.6 |
(34) The figure for 2005–06 is a forecast.
The net operating costs are offset by benefits to the defence budget arising from
Defence Intelligence and Security Centre
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many staff are employed by the Defence Intelligence and Security Centre; and what its net operating cost was in the last year for which figures are available; [60925]
(2) what the budget of the Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS) is for 2005–06; and how many persons are employed within the DIS. [60926]
Mr. Ingram:
The Defence Intelligence Staff budget for 2005–06 is £269.2 million net. It employs some 4,700 staff. The Defence Intelligence and Security Centre is a
23 Mar 2006 : Column 533W
part of the Defence Intelligence Staff. Its staffing level and net operating cost for 2004–05 was published in the Defence Intelligence and Security Centre Annual Report in July 2005. A copy is available in the House of Commons Library.
Discharged Personnel (Social Housing)
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Deputy Prime Minister regarding the circumstances under which a member of the armed forces will be considered to have local connections for the purposes of obtaining social housing on discharge. [56370]
Mr. Touhig [holding answer 6 March 2006]: There have been no meetings between my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence and the Deputy Prime Minister to discuss the issue of service personnel having a local connection for the purposes of obtaining social housing. Officials of the two Departments have discussed housing issues generally in relation to service personnel.
NATO and EU (Funding)
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the level of UK funding to (a) NATO and (b) defence policy and activities of the European Union has been since 1997. [57467]
Mr. Ingram: The UK's contribution to NATO's three common funded budgets (the Military Budget, the NATO Security and Investment Programme and the Civil Budget) since 1997–98 is as follows.
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 123.072 |
| 1998–99 | 117.840 |
| 1999–2000 | 123.968 |
| 2000–01 | 118.585 |
| 2001–02 | 126.616 |
| 2002–03 | 125.850 |
| 2003–04 | 104.433 |
| 2004–05 | 134.947 |
There is no common budget for the defence activities of the EU; instead, commonly funded costs incurred by specific military operations and exercises are apportioned to Member States. The first such operation was launched in 2003. The UK's share of these costs has been as follows.
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 2003–04 | 0.742 |
| 2004–05 | 9.319 |
In addition, the UK has contributed the following to the budget of the European Defence Agency since its launch in July 2004.
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 2004–05 | 1.047 |
| 2004–05 | 2.369 |
23 Mar 2006 : Column 534W
Hooding
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 8 March 2006, Official Report, column 1535W, on hooding, (1) when officials first became aware that the order in question was no longer being adhered to; [59673]
(2) what the grades were of the officials concerned. [59674]
Mr. Ingram: Ministry of Defence officials of a variety of grades were aware of the General Officer Commanding's Order banning hooding in April 2003. Officials became aware that the order in question was no longer being adhered to in September 2003.
QinetiQ
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of defence research contracts by (a) number and (b) value his Department has awarded to (i) QinetiQ and the (ii) Defence Evaluation and Research Agency in each year since 2000; and what proportion of those contracts were passed on to third parties. [44152]
John Reid: In financial year 2001–02 the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency was split into two organisations: the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) staying as a Trading Fund within the Ministry of Defence, and QinetiQ becoming a private company. The value of research work placed within MOD (intramural) and outside of MOD (extramural) is published in the annual National Statistics publication UK Defence Statistics" (Chapter 1.7 in the 2005 edition). A copy of this is held in the Library of the House.
It is not meaningful to talk in terms of number of contracts, as the MOD has a single formal enabling contract with QinetiQ and specific tasks are normally awarded against that contract.
The proportion of research work placed to different suppliers is outlined in the Defence Industrial Strategy" (section A5.23), a copy of which is held in the Library of the House.
Data on the proportion of contracts passed by QinetiQ to a third party are not held centrally and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the flotation of QinetiQ on (a) site improvements at Fort Halstead and (b) the transfer of Defence Science and Technology Laboratory staff from Malvern to Fort Halstead. [44166]
Mr. Touhig:
The flotation of QinetiQ will have no impact on either the relocation of staff from Malvern to Fort Halstead or the planned site improvements. The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory is the occupying authority and will continue to manage the estate improvements under the terms of the long head lease.
23 Mar 2006 : Column 535W
RAF Cosford (Museum)
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to expand the RAF museum at Cosford. [50861]
Mr. Touhig: As the RAF museum is a non-departmental public body, decisions on its future plans are a matter for the board of trustees and the senior management team.
The RAF museum at Cosford is currently expanding to house an exhibition entitled 'Divided World—Connected World' about the cold war. The Ministry of Defence provided £1 million towards the cost of this project, and completion is expected in late 2006.
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