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Dervish Anti-personnel Land Mines
Mrs. Ray Michie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to meet representatives from Edinburgh University to discuss the funding of the Dervish anti-personnel land mines clearance project. [109586]
Nancekuke
Ms Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what archive files relating to Nancekuke are restricted for publication by the 30-year-rule; and if he will publish them early. [109947]
Dr. Moonie:
It is not possible to identify the holding of all archived files relating to defence activities at Nancekuke without incurring disproportionate cost. All department records are reviewed under well established procedures and those selected for permanent preservation are released in accordance with the provisions of the Public Records Acts, 1958 and 1967.
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Mr. Colvin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes in military structures are required in order to implement the common foreign and security policies agreed at the Helsinki European Council. [109956]
Mr. Hoon:
At the Helsinki European Council, EU member states agreed:
(a) to establish the new structures necessary for the EU to decide and, where NATO as a whole is not engaged, act in response to crises. These bodies will include a Military Committee and a Military Staff; and
(b) to set up, from March 2000, the interim arrangements required for the EU to develop its military crisis management procedures, including an interim body of military representatives of member states' Chiefs of Defence.
Defence Diversification Agency
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the budget for the Defence Diversification Agency for the financial year 1999-2000. [110317]
Dr. Moonie: The Defence Diversification Agency (DDA) was launched in 1999 with a notional budget of £2 million per annum for its first three years. In the Agency's start-up year (financial year 1999-2000) the forecast budget was set at £1.5 million to take account of the planned ramp up in its operations. The forecast actual spend against this budget is projected to be around £1.1 million.
Cluster Bombs
Mr. Livsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if cluster bombs available for use by the armed services (a) at present and (b) within the last three years contain depleted uranium. [110223]
Mr. Spellar: No cluster bombs available for use by UK Armed Forces now or at any time during the last three years have contained depleted uranium.
Advertising Budgets
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average cost of issuing a media release from his Department in 1999. [110277]
Dr. Moonie: During 1999, the average cost to my Department of distributing a media release centrally was approximately £78.50.
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's advertising budget for (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01. [110264]
Dr. Moonie: The information is not available in the requested format. However, MOD's forecast expenditure for 1999-2000 on PR, marketing and business support services (together with expenditure by the Chief of Public Relations but not including the salaries of staff or associated costs) totals £4.849 million. Recruitment costs are not included.
The corresponding figure for 2000-01 is £3.750 million.
Paper and Timber Products
Mr. Reed:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will ensure that paper and timber products
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purchased by his Department are independently certified by the Forest Stewardship Council as coming from a sustainable source; [110158]
Dr. Moonie:
In line with the recommendations of a recent Government-wide review, it is my Department's policy to procure timber and timber products only from sustainable sources and, in the case of tropical hardwood, to require independent verification of those sources. The scheme operated by the Forest Stewardship council is one of a number of available verification schemes mentioned in the DETR's Green Guide for Buyers. Where practicable, the use of reclaimed timber or timber products is also considered. Guidance on the use of paper is set out in the Ministry of Defence's Environmental Manual (JSP 418) and will be reviewed as part of the implementation of the Department's corporate Environmental Management System. A copy of JSP 418 has been placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Duncan Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's housing repair programme. [105564]
Dr. Moonie
[holding answer 18 January 2000]: The Ministry of Defence plans cyclical maintenance and responds to requests for repairs through works services contracts. In Great Britain those works are managed by the Defence Housing Executive (DHE) who have a total repair and maintenance budget of £105.361 million in the current Financial Year. An additional £7.650 million is budgeted for carpets and curtains. Together these support the stock of some 64,000 houses. DHE have strict performance targets for meeting repair requests and these are being upheld.
Overseas and in Northern Ireland repairs and maintenance are actioned through the individual Service establishment's overall repairs and maintenance budget. This covers all Service buildings and office accommodation as well as housing and it is not possible to identify precisely the expenditure for housing alone.
Mr. Duncan Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funding his Department has allocated for each of the next three years for the renovation of service housing. [105563]
Dr. Moonie
[holding answer 18 January 2000]: The funding allocated for the next three years for the renovation of the married quarters estate (the upgrade programme) in Great Britain is as follows:
(2) what steps he has taken to ensure that paper and timber products purchased by his Department come from a sustainable source. [110157]
| Financial year | £ million |
|---|---|
| 2000-01 | 79.7 |
| 2001-02 | 78.8 |
| 2002-03 | 69.5 |
There is no separate programme for the renovation of Service housing overseas which is undertaken with general estate maintenance.
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Advertising Budgets
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the average cost of issuing a media release from his Department in 1999. [110278]
Mr. Byers: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 9 February 2000, Official Report, column 208W.
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his Department's advertising budget for (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01. [110265]
Mr. Byers: Most of the Department's publicity budgets, and the details of expenditure on advertising, are not held centrally. Also, in most cases a budget for advertising is not identified separately from other types of publicity or programme spend. The information requested could be produced only at disproportionate cost.
Companies House
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the quinquennial review of Companies House will take place; and what the terms of reference for the review will be. [110934]
Mr. Alan Johnson: I am today launching the Quinquennial Review of Companies House.
Agencies and non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) are at the heart of our programme to modernise government. The Government are committed to achieving better public services that are of higher quality and are more responsive to the needs of the people who use them. Regular Agency and NDPB reviews are an important element in ensuring that we have in place the right structures to deliver the Government's agenda effectively and to provide a strong focus on improving future performance.
The terms of reference for the Review of Companies House are:
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independent member. The aim will be to complete the review within about six months, as recommended in the Cabinet Office guidance.
As indicated in the terms of reference, the Review Team is seeking the views of interested parties. A questionnaire is available from:
The Review will be carried out by officials in the Department of Trade and Industry, with specialist advice as appropriate. The work of the Review Team will be overseen by a Steering Group chaired by the Director General of Competition and Markets and including an
To consider and to make recommendations regarding:
First, the organisational status which would be most appropriate for the operation and policy of Companies House in the future, taking into account its contribution to the objectives of the Department and of the Government as a whole, including the Modernising Government agenda, developments in the national and international legislative, regulatory and commercial environment; and
Second, whether any changes should be made to the way in which Companies House operates, including its aims and objectives, targets and financial controls; the scope of the activities undertaken; and whether its activities could be done more effectively.
In carrying out both stages of the review, the views of customers, staff and their trade unions, consumers and other interested parties will be fully taken into account.
The review is to be undertaken in accordance with the latest Cabinet Office guidance, published on 31 January 2000.
Companies House Review Team
Comments should be sent to the same address by 17 March 2000.
Department of Trade and Industry
Bay 104
151 Buckingham Palace Road
London SW1W 9SS
tel: 020 7215 1548
email: cca.comments@lond02.dti.gov.uk
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