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Sport England: Consultancy
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the budget for Sport England's consultancy service to advise government departments and agencies on how to promote active lifestyles and provide activity opportunities for employees. [HL418]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Government announced in Choosing Health our intention to publish a delivery plan for the White Paper in the new year.
We are currently working on the detail of the delivery plan including implementation by Sport England of its consultancy to advise government departments.
More details will be announced in due course.
Everyday Sport Campaign
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 7 July (WA 96), why the Everyday Sport Campaign is targeting the intention to increase participation levels rather than actual participation levels. [HL419]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: International physical activity and sports campaign experience strongly indicates that measurement of campaign effectiveness encompasses two critical stages: the first is intention to increase physical activity levels and the second, after a sustained campaign has been running for many years, is increase in physical activity levels.
Given that the Everyday Sport campaign was a pilot over a limited time period, with £250,000 ear-marked this financial year, Sport England's research approach encompassed international best practice to focus its initial evaluation on levels of awareness raising and intention to increase physical activity levels.
Youth Sport Trust
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Youth Sport Trust has received any funding to help implement UK Sport's Start Clean programme. [HL420]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Youth Sport Trust has received no funding to help implement UK Sport's Start Clean programme.
Public Libraries
Lord Harrison asked Her Majesty's Government:
In light of their public libraries announcement, how many public libraries are currently fulfilling the Government standard of: (a) annually purchasing 216 new items per 1,000 of population; and (b) replacing outward stock after no more than 6.7 years on display. [HL410]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The information requested in the first part of the Question is not available in that form.
Public Library Standard 17 measures how many of the 149 English library authorities purchase at least 261 items per 1,000 population each year. The table below shows this information for the past four years.
Due to reporting exemptions only 139 of 149 library authorities submitted a report in 2002 and 2003.
The information requested in the second part of the Question is not available in that form.
Public Library Standard 18 measures how many of the 149 English library authorities replenish their book stock within the designated timeframe of 6.7 years.
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The table below shows this information for the past four years.
Due to reporting exemptions only 139 of 149 library authorities submitted a report in 2002 and 2003.
Freedom of Information: Defence Forward Plans
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have decided the extent to which, from 1 January 2005, forward defence equipment plans will be disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and thus available for informed public discussion. [HL136]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach): We will conclude our examination of options for disclosing additional information about defence forward plans shortly.
Ministry of Defence Employment
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the expected average number of whole-time equivalent service and civilian persons employed by the Ministry of Defence in 2004–05. [HL282]
Lord Bach: The Ministry of Defence has not produced civilian manpower forecasts since introducing the new definition of civilian manpower at the end of July 2004. Forecasts against the previous definition were included on table five of The Government's Expenditure Plans 2004–2005—2005–2006, copies of which are in the Library of the House. As a result of the ongoing work to restructure the civilian workforce, firm forecasts of manpower numbers are not yet finalised but are being calculated as part of the department's normal annual planning process.
The average number of full-time equivalent (whole-time equivalent) civilians employed by the Ministry of Defence between 1 April 2004 and 1 October 2004 was 108,910. Figures include all industrial, non-industrial, trading fund and locally engaged personnel.
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Defence Management Board
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
For each of the years 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2003–04, how many people were members of the Defence Management Board; and what was the cost of their salaries, pension entitlements and taxable benefits-in-kind; and [HL329]
How many people are currently members of the Defence Management Board; and what is expected to be the cost of their salaries, pension entitlements and taxable benefits-in-kind in the year 2004–05. [HL330]
Lord Bach: The composition of the Defence Management Board (DMB) for 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2003–04 is set out in the Ministry of Defence's Annual Performance Report for each of those years, and the information requested on salaries, pension entitlements and taxable benefits in kind is set out in the Notes to the MoD's Departmental Resource Accounts, combined since 2002–03 with the performance report as the MoD Annual Report and Accounts. Copies are available in the Library of the House (Cm5661, HC47, HC1125 and HC1080) and in electronic form on the MoD's website at www.mod.uk.
In summary, in 2001–02 the Defence Management Board comprised 10 executive members. Two non-executive members were appointed on 29 May 2002 and 10 July 2002, and the MoD's finance director was formally appointed to the DMB from 24 June 2004. The information requested for 2004–05 will be set out in the normal way next year in the MoD Annual Report and Accounts. It is not expected to differ significantly from that for 2003–04 other than to reflect the appointment of the MoD finance director to the DMB in June 2004.
Ministry of Defence: Capital Charge
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
By how much the Ministry of Defence plans to reduce its annual cost of capital charge in 2004–05 and in each of the next three financial years. [HL331]
Lord Bach: The cost of capital charge in the Ministry of Defence's accounts reflects the size of the department's asset base which is dominated by fighting equipment and intangible assets related to the acquisition of fighting equipment. The Future Capabilities White Paper published on 21 July set out our plans for our future force structures, including both reductions in the numbers of some equipments and enhancements in some capabilities, which are driven by our security requirements in a changing world. Future cost of capital charges will be substantially determined by the impact of these changes. We expect however that the cost of capital charge associated with other areas on our asset base will reduce over the next few years as a consequence, for example, of the rationalisation of the defence estate under the MoD's efficiency programme.
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