23 Jul 1998 : Column: 603
Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 23 July 1998
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Director of Public Prosecutions
Maria Eagle: To ask the Attorney-General when the Director of Public Prosecutions will publish her annual report. [52517]
The Attorney-General: The Director of Public Prosecutions has today published her annual report and copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Government Lawyers
Mr. Cranston: To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the role of Government lawyers in England and Wales. [52368]
The Attorney-General: Lawyers employed by the Government have a central role in assisting Ministers in the discharge of their functions. They are civil servants, and are accountable to Ministers, but nevertheless they are professionally independent and have responsibilities to the Courts and their professional bodies. In recognition of the special nature of the work of Government lawyers, and in consultation with the Treasury Solicitor, I have decided to publish a Guidance Note concerning their role.
The Note provides guidance to Government lawyers as to:
I am placing a copy of the Guidance Note in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Attorney-General if he will list for (a) his Department and (b) bodies listed in the National Asset Register, how many vehicles are currently (i) owned and (ii) leased; if he will indicate their (A) fuel types and (B) engine cubic capacities; and how many vehicles are expected to fall due for replacement in each of the years (1) 1998-99, (2) 1999-2000 and (3) 2000-01. [49225]
The Attorney-General
[holding answer 6 July 1998]: This answer covers the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, the Treasury Solicitor's Department (and the Government Property Lawyers Agency), the Crown Prosecution Service and the Serious Fraud Office.
23 Jul 1998 : Column: 604
(i) The Government Car and Despatch Agency owns vehicles used by this Department and I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 21 July 1998, Official Report, column 446.
1. The inter-relationship between their obligation as civil servants and as members of the legal profession;
2. Their role regarding other civil servants and the Ministers or office-holders to whom they are accountable.
3. The special position of prosecutors in the decision-making process; and
4. The inter-relationship between the role of Legal Advisers to Departments and that of the Law Officers in the provision of legal advice to the Government.
| c.c. | Number of vehicles |
|---|---|
| 1300 | 1 |
| 1400 | 3 |
| 1500 | 1 |
| 1600 | 3 |
| 1700 | 7 |
| 1800 | 12 |
| 1900 | 3 |
| 2400 | 1 |
| 2400 | 3 |
13 vehicles fall due for replacement in 1998-99, 12 in 1999-2000 and 8 in 2000-2001.
DEFENCE
Correspondence
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's average response time to correspondence from members of the public; and how such response times are monitored. [48665]
Mr. Spellar: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service, on 14 July 1998, Official Report, column 159.
Mr. Ian Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what target his Department sets for the maximum time to respond to letters from hon. Members; what proportion of letters meets that target; and what is the average time taken to respond to a letter from an hon. Member. [49847]
Mr. Spellar [holding answer 13 July 1998]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 13 July 1998, Official Report, column 1.
Executive Agency Newsletters
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the current security classifications of the newsletter produced for the staff of (a) the Army Base Storage and Distribution Agency, (b) the Army Training and Recruiting Agency and (c) the Defence Codification Agency; how often each newsletter is produced; and when each newsletter was first produced. [51133]
Mr. Spellar:
This is a matter for the Chief Executives of the Agencies concerned. I have asked them to write to the hon. Member.
23 Jul 1998 : Column: 605
Letter from K. A. Bradshaw to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 23 July 1998:
Letter from P. D. Foxton to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 23 July 1998:
Letter from P. A. Wilson to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 23 July 1998:
Mr. Maples:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if the proceeds of asset sales by his Department have been offset against the estimates of total defence spending published in paragraph 197 of the Strategic Defence Review; [50845]
(3) if the figures in paragraph 197 of the Strategic Defence Review for total defence spending reflect the deduction of the proceeds of asset sales. [50846]
Mr. George Robertson
[holding answer 20 July 1998]: The future provision for defence, set out in paragraph 197 of the Strategic Defence Review White Paper, reflects forecast receipts from a continuing programme of asset sales. This includes defence estate disposals, receipts from which should exceed £700 million over the next four years. Additional one-off receipts are expected to be available in 2001-02. Details of assumed receipts form part of my Department's internal plans: these represent projections and assumptions which inform advice to Ministers on the affordability of the defence programme. Accordingly, I am withholding the information requested under exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
23 Jul 1998 : Column: 606
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if the Joint Defence Centre will be co-located with the Joint Services Command and Staff College; [51300]
(3) what savings will be achieved in single service doctrine centres by the establishment of the Joint Defence Centre; [51295]
(4) who the Commandant of the Joint Defence Centre will report to in the chain of command; [51296]
(5) what are the projected costs of the Joint Defence Centre. [51299]
Mr. George Robertson:
[holding answer 20 July 1998]: Following the Strategic Defence Review (Cm 3999) I have established a study team to consider the detailed responsibilities, organisation, location, resources and costs associated with the formation of a Joint Defence Centre. The team is due to report at the end of the year. It would be premature to comment in advance of their findings.
The work of the Joint Defence Centre will be overseen at the highest level; detailed arrangements for the command and management of the centre are also being examined by the study team.
I intend that the Joint Defence Centre will be central to development of our joint Service vision and integral to our strategic planning process. As such I place greatest emphasis on the experience and calibre of those appointed to command and staff the centre, as I would for any officer holding a key joint appointment.
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the projected cost of the construction of the Joint Services Command and Staff College at Shrivenham. [51298]
Mr. George Robertson
[holding answer 20 July 1998]: Defence Management (Watchfield) Ltd. is contracted to provide a complete service in support of the teaching and accommodation facilities at the JSCSC at Watchfield, for which it will be paid a monthly service charge on the basis of usage. The Net Present Value of the payments is assessed to be about £200M over the 30 year contract period. My Department does not make a specific payment to cover construction costs.
Defence Codification Newsletter--DCA News
1. I am replying to your question to the Secretary for Defence about the newsletter produced by the Defence Codification Agency (DCA), as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive DCA.
2. The Agency publishes a newsletter called 'DCA NEWS'. This is a document which is published quarterly, it has no classified information content and therefore carries no protective marking. The first issue was dated June 1994.
I am replying to the recent questions you tabled to the Secretary of State for Defence for those matters that fall within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Army Base Supply and Distribution Agency (ABSDA). You asked about the current security classification of the Agency newsletter produced for the staff, how often it is produced and when the first edition was produced.
The ABSDA staff newsletter, "Baseline", does not have or require any security caveat and it is produced on a bi-monthly basis. The first edition was produced in January 1995, three months prior to the formation of ABSDA, to inform staff of the changes that were to take place.
I trust I have answered your questions satisfactorily.
I am replying on behalf of the Chief Executive to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the classification and frequency of publication of the newsletter produced by this Agency, as this matter falls within the responsibility of the Army Training and Recruiting Agency.
The Agency produces a bi-monthly publication, ATRA News, which is unclassified. The first edition was published in April 1997.
(2) what are the assumed receipts from asset sales by his Department in each of the years 1998-99 to 2001-02; [50844]
(2) if (a) the Commandant of the Joint Defence Centre and (b) the Commandant of the Joint Service Command and Staff College will be required to have attended the Higher Command and Staff Course; [51294]
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |