House of Commons Defence Committee Minutes of Proceedings Session 2002–03 Ordered by The House of Commons to be printed 20 November 2003 The Defence Committee The Defence Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Ministry of Defence and its associated public bodies. Current membership Mr Bruce George MP (Labour, Walsall South) (Chairman) Mr Crispin Blunt MP (Conservative, Reigate) Mr James Cran MP (Conservative, Beverley and Holderness) Mr David Crausby MP (Labour, Bolton North East) Mike Gapes MP (Labour, Ilford South) Mr Mike Hancock MP (Liberal Democrat, Portsmouth South) Mr Dai Havard MP (Labour, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) Mr Kevan Jones MP (Labour, North Durham) Mr Frank Roy MP (Labour, Motherwell and Wishaw) Rachel Squire MP (Labour, Dunfermline West) Mr Peter Viggers MP (Conservative, Gosport) The following members were also members of the committee during the session. Mr Gerald Howarth (Conservative, Aldershot) Jim Knight MP (Labour, South Dorset) Patrick Mercer MP (Conservative, Newark) Syd Rapson MP (Labour, Portsmouth North) Powers The committee is one of the departmental select committees, the powers of which are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO No 152. These are available on the Internet via www.parliament.uk. Publications The Reports and evidence of the Committee are published by The Stationery Office by Order of the House. All publications of the Committee (including press notices) are on the Internet at : www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/defence_committee.cfm. Committee staff The current staff of the Committee are Mark Hutton (Clerk), Steven Mark (Second Clerk), Ian Rogers (Audit Adviser), Dr John Gearson (Committee Specialist), Fiona Channon (Committee Assistant), Sheryl Dinsdale (Secretary), James McQuade (Senior Office Clerk). Contacts All correspondence should be addressed to the Clerks of the Defence Committee, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA. The telephone number for general enquiries is 020 7219 5745; the Committee's e-mail address is defcom@parliament.uk Proceedings of the Committee