HC Deb 29 November 1995 vol 267 cc755-65W
Mr. Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for each of his executive agencies for the last financial year in respect of overseas travel by agency staff(a) the costs of the travel, (b) the countries visited and (c) the posts held by the staff concerned. [2288]

Mr. Arbbuthnot

This is a matter for the agencies concerned. I have asked the chief executives to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from N. R. Essenhigh to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995: Your question to the Secretary of State asking about overseas travel in 1994/95 has been passed to me for reply as Chief Executive of the Hydrographic Office. The overseas travel costs incurred by the Agency in 1994/95 were £123,252.11. A list of the countries visited is at Annex A; and the posts held by the staff concerned is at Annex B. I hope this information is helpful.

COUNTRIES VISITED BY HYDROGRAPHIC OFFICE STAFF FY 1994/95

  • Argentina
  • Australia
  • Bahrain
  • Belgium
  • Canada
  • Cuba
  • Denmark
    • 756
  • Falkland Islands
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Gibraltar
  • Holland
  • Hong Kong
  • Iceland
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • Malaysia
  • Monaco
  • Norway
  • Oman
  • Portugal
  • Singapore
  • Spain
  • South America
  • South Africa
  • Sweden
  • USA

POSTS OF HYDROGRAPHIC OFFICE STAFF MAKING OVERSEAS VISITS FY 1994–95

  • Hydrographer
  • Deputy Chief Executive
  • Director Defence Requirements
  • Director Production and Marketing
  • Director Information Systems
  • Director Nautical Charts and Publications
  • Head of Product Development
  • Head of Bilateral Arrangements
  • Head of Maritime Safety Information
  • Head of Physical Oceanography
  • Head of Sales and Marketing
  • Head of Information Processing Project
  • Head of Finance
  • Head of Submarine Operations and Surveys
  • Head of Nautical Chart Branch 1
  • Head of Nautical Chart Branch 4
  • Head of Nautical Chart Branch 5
  • Head of MOD/RN Requirements and Co-ordination
  • Head of Tidal Branch
  • Head of International Liaison
  • Retired Officer 2-Maritime Safety Information
  • Staff Officer Survey Planning
  • Commercial Sales Manager
  • SMCO Information Processing Project Implementation
  • SMCO Submarine Operations and Surveys
  • SMCO Operational Charting and Mine Countermeasure Support
    • 757
  • SMCO Physical Oceanography
  • Engineering Manager
  • Technical Officer Ship Equipment (HPTO)
  • SMCO Printing
  • SMCO Marketing
  • Assistant Maritime Safety Information (Defence)
  • Reviser Tidal Branch
  • HMCO Information Processing Project Implementation
  • HMCO Physical Oceanography
  • HMCO Submarine Operations and Surveys
  • SMCO MOD/RN Requirements and Co-ordination
  • HMCO Geodesy
  • HMCO Printing
  • HMCO Marketing
  • Technical Officer Print Equipment (PTO)
  • Technical Officer Ship Equipment (PTO)
  • ABBREVIATIONS
  • SMCO = Senior Mapping and Charting Officer
  • HMCO = Higher Mapping and Charting Officer
  • HPTO = Higher Professional and Technical Officer
  • PTO = Professional and Technical Officer

Letter from Alan Pollard to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995: I have been asked by the Minister to reply to your parliamentary question on overseas travel by Defence Agency Staff during Financial Year 1994–95. LISA was formed on 21 November 1994 and the figures listed at the Annex to this letter are based on travel after that date and before 1 April 1995. The figures do not include my staff travelling on RAF flights in support of operations, since I do not hold such costs. If you require further details please do not hesitate to contact me.

Travel overseas by LISA personnel-Financial Year 1994–95
Country Post Cost £
Germany HPTO 159.70
Germany Captain 175.60
Germany Major 159.70
Canada Warrant Officer 1,678.46
Germany HEO Lieutenant 282.26
Germany Colonel 282.26
Germany Captain 159.70
Germany Captain 236.46
Germany Contractor 236.46
Germany Contractor 236.46
USA AO 2,641.00
Germany Colonel 159.70
Germany RO2 159.70
Germany Contractor 249.86
Canada EO 2,507.40
Canada PTO 2,291.06
Germany Captain 321.70
Canada Warrant Officer 2,507.40
Canada EO 2,507.40
Germany Captain 322.56
Germany Captain 322.56
Germany Captain 341.68

Letter from Captain W. S. Graham to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995: 1. In your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence, you asked for a list for each of his executive agencies for the last financial year in respect of overseas travel by agency staff:

  1. (a) the costs of the travel
  2. (b) the countries visited
    • and
  3. (c) the posts held by the staff concerned In response:

2. RNAY Fleetlands

  1. (a) £8601 spent on Travel and Subsistence.
  2. (b) Countries visited: Holland, Cyprus, Germany and Norway.
  3. (c) Variety of Industrial and Non Industrial posts held consisting of:
    • Quality Assurance Manager
    • Engineering Manager
    • Dope Shop Supervisor
    • Safety Officer
    • Quality Inspectors
    • Technical Officer
    • Engineering Desk Officer
    • Aircraft Fitters (6)

3. RNAW Almondbank

  1. (a) £3088 spent on Travel and Subsistence
  2. (b) USA only country visited
  3. (c) Engineering Services Manager Engineering Desk Officer.

Letter from Philip Wildman to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995: 1. The Secretary of State has asked me to reply direct to your question seeking details of overseas travel undertaken by the staff of this Defence Agency in Financial Year 1994–95.1 regret that the Chief Executive is unable to reply personally due to absence.

2. The answers you require are as follows:

  1. (a) Cost of Travel—£578,000 excluding costs of centrally provided trooping services e.g. Washington and British Forces Germany.
  2. (b) Countries Visited—see Annex A attached.
  3. (c) Posts Held by Staff Concerned—

(1) Serial 1—Headquarters

Director General and supporting staff.

(2)Serial 2—Commitments

Commitments staff are responsible for MOD geographic policy and its related NATO and international aspects.

(3) Serial 3—Acquisition

Acquisition staff are responsible for the development and maintenance of highly cost-effective exchange agreements which enable Military Survey to obtain the geographic data essential for Defence needs world-wide.

(4) Serial 4—Production and Information Systems

Production staff travel is undertaken to manage the technical aspects of NATO and international coproduction and burden-sharing agreements. In addition, some travel by Information Systems staff is in support of standards and compatibility work to facilitate the international exchange of geographic data.

3. I hope you find this information useful.

Military Survey Defence Agency Overseas Travel Destination Financial Year 94–95
Serial Function Countries Visited
1 Headquarters (Director General and senior staff) Germany, Belgium, Czech Republic.Greece, Australia, Bosnia, Norway, Romania, Turkey USA.
2 Commitments Belgium, Germany, Bosnia, USA, Spain, Denmark, Canada, Cyprus, Honk Kong, Holland
3 Acquisition USA, Czech Republic, Greece, dubai, Muscat, Austria, Bahrain, Saudia Arabia, Sweden South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Hungary.
4 Production and Information Systems Germany, Belgium, USA, Finland, France, Canada,Denmark, Norway, Holland, Poland, Cyprus.

Letter from Jim Drew to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995: I have been asked to reply, as Chief Executive of the Army Base Repair Organisation (ABRO), to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State if he will list for the FY 94/95 details in respect of overseas travel as follows:

  1. a.costs of travel
  2. b.countries visited
  3. c.posts held by staff who visited those countries.

I detail below the information in respect of ABRO:

Grade Destination Subsistence Cost (£)
G7 Production Engineers Canada 501
SPTO Paris, Sweden, Germany 884
HPTO Paris, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg 2,388
RO1 Supply Germany 119
EO Managers Germany 104
Med/Dent Repair Belize 465
Sen C/Hand Technicians Belgium 181
Total 4,642

The total commercial air costs were £4,783, which has proven difficult to break down in the time available and does not include air trooping flights for which we are not charged. The first 3 elements in the above table were directly related to repair support contracts in place with commercial companies based in these countries: the remainder were routine staffing meetings with our customers and suppliers.

Therefore, the total overseas travel costs were £9,425.

Letter from Michael Maycroft to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995: I have been asked by the Secretary of State for Defence to reply to your Parliamentary Question about overseas travel by agency staff. As the Chief Executive of the Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency (DCTA) I can advise you of the following information in respect of this agency.

During the financial year 1994–95 the cost of overseas travel made by DCTA personnel was £42,503 and the countries visited were:

  • Australia
  • Belgium
  • Canada
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • Germany
  • Gibraltar
  • Hong Kong
  • Hungary
  • Italy
  • Israel
  • Lithuania
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United States of America
  • Yugoslavia

These journeys were undertaken by the following DCTA personnel:

  • Chief Executive
  • Scientific Staff (Scientific Officer to Grade 6)
  • Quality Assurance Staff (PTO to Grade 6)
  • Product Managers (Maj/Lt Col)
  • Research & Development Advisor (Grade 7)

Letter from Peter Trevelyan to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995:

You asked the Secretary of State for Defence for details of expenditure by Executive Agencies for the last Financial Year in respect of overseas travel by agency staff. I am replying on behalf of the Defence Accounts Agency.

  1. (a) Cost of travel £14,037.23
  2. (b) The countries visited and the posts held by the staff were as follows:
  • USA
  • 2 Senior Executive Officers
  • 2 Higher Executive Officers
  • Germany
  • 2 Senior Executive Officers
  • 2 Higher Executive Officers
  • Administrative Officer
  • United Arab Emirates
  • 1 Higher Executive Officer
  • 1 Executive Officer
  • France
  • 1 Higher Executive Officer
  • Cyprus
  • 1 Higher Executive Officer
  • 1 Executive Officer
  • 1 Administrative Officer
  • Holland
  • 2 Executive Officers (Information Technology)
    • 761
  • Malta
  • 1 Grade 6
  • 1 Senior Executive Officer
  • 1 Higher Executive Officer

Letter from Richard Kyle to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 28 November 1995: You asked the Secretary of State for Defence for details of overseas travel by agency staff. I have been asked to reply as the Chief Executive of the Royal Air Force Maintenance Group Defence Agency. I regret that the information you request is not readily available in the form required. The vast majority of journeys carried out by the Royal Air Force Maintenance Group Defence Agency personnel involved the distribution of Service Freight and the maintenance of equipment located overseas. The cost of travel for the last financial year was £699,652. The countries visited during the period are listed as an attachment to this letter. Unfortunately, details of specific posts held by staff are not readily available. I hope that this information is helpful to you. LIST OF COUNTRIES VISITED BY STAFF IN THE MAINTENANCE GROUP DEFENCE AGENCIES DURING FINANCIAL YEAR 1994–95

  • Belgium
  • Canada
  • Cyprus
  • Denmark
  • Eire
  • Falkland Islands
  • France
  • Germany
  • Gibraltar
  • Hong Kong
  • Italy
  • Luxembourg
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Portugal
  • S Africa
  • Turkey
  • USA.

Letter from Peter Ayee to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995: I write as Chief Executive of the Royal Air Force Signals Engineering Establishment (RAFSEE) Defence Agency in response to your Parliamentary Question, No 9363 of 23 November 1995, to the Secretary of State for Defence. The role of the Agency is to design, install and recover ground signals systems and selected airborne equipment for its operational customers in the UK and overseas. In carrying out these tasks, RAFSEE design and installation staff visited locations in Germany, Cyprus, USA, Belgium, Dubai and Gibraltar on a total of 52 occasions in the period between Agency launch on 22 November 1994 and the end of the Financial Year. The total cost was £54,253.

Letter from John Clarke to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995: The Secretary of State for Defence has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question, about details of overseas travel by Agency staff during the last financial year, in my capacity as Chief Executive of the Naval Recruiting and Training Agency. You will wish to be aware that the Naval Recruiting and Training Agency (NRTA) came into being on 1 April 1995 and, as such, was not an executive agency during the period of the last financial year.

Letter from Brian Raine to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995: The Secretary of State for Defence has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question about overseas travel by Agency staff. Our Bursar did travel to Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada in order to reconnoitre the situation at the International Tattoo in Halifax in preparation for our Pipe Band going there in June 1995. The cost of the trip was £609.20.

Letter from W. E. Spreadbury to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995: In the absence of the Chief Executive on duty, I am replying to your enquiry concerning overseas travel by agency staff. The details you requested are:-

  1. (a) £2,185
  2. (b) Germany, for Rhine Army Show
  3. (c) Headmaster, Publicity Officer and four pupils.

Letter from J. M. Powell to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995:

  1. 1. I have been asked by the Secretary of State for Defence to reply to your Parliamentary Question.
  2. 2. The specific answers are as follows:
    1. (a) The costs of travel during FY 1994/95 were £155,946.
    2. (b) Travel in Europe related solely to training and the management of schools within SCS (NWE) in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy. In addition one visit was made to service schools in Cyprus.
    3. (c) The posts held by staff travelling were:
      1. i. travel in Germany was by all staff of SCS (NWE).
      2. ii. travel elsewhere was by the Chief Executive, three Assistant Chief Executives, the Budget manager, Finance manager, Personnel manager, Contracts manager, members of their staff, Headteachers and members of the Inspection Advisory Service.
  3. 3. However, it must be appreciated that the Service Children's Schools (North West Europe) Agency with its Headquarters in Rheindahlen Germany is concerned with the operation of service schools in North West Europe, where 80% of service families posted overseas are stationed. Therefore whilst all travel undertaken by Agency staff is "overseas" this represents no more than the normal discharge of duties; The only exception was a four day liaison visit to Cyprus by the Chief Executive.
  4. 4. If you require any further information or clarification please contact this Headquarters.

Letter from Paul Altobell to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995:

The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about Next Steps Agencies and how this relates to my Agencies.

The responses to your questions in the order put to me are:

In the last financial year DASA spent £547 on overseas travel.

The country visited was France.

The trip was for one Grade 6.

Letter from Keith Ellender to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995:

I am replying on behalf of the Disposal Sales Agency to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about overseas travel.

The information in respect of my Agency is as follows:

  • Costs: The overall costs amounted to £97,198.09.
  • Countries Visited: Austria, Brazil, Cyprus, Germany, Gibraltar, India, Lebanonn, Pakistan, Spain, Switzerland, USA.
  • Posts Held: Chief Executive
  • Assistant Director (Germany)
  • Assistant Director (Plans & Budget)
  • Disposal Sales (Health & Safety)
    • 763
  • Disposal Sales (Marketing Agreements)
  • Assistant Director (Ships & Armaments)
  • Disposal Sales (Ships)
  • Disposal Sales (Armaments)
  • Royal Navy Liaison Officer
  • Royal Navy Liaison Officer—(Helicopters)

Letter from John May to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995: Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence on overseas travel by the staff of executive agencies during the last financial year has nevertheless been passed to me to answer in respect of the Royal Air Force Training Group Defence Agency. The breakdown of the information you ask for is not collected centrally within the Agency or by any other branch of the Royal Air Force. The cost of any trawl to determine the statistics you require would take extensive and un-resourced clerical effort, at a cost that would substantially outweigh any benefit arising from the answer. Nor have we any plans for our future financial and management accounting systems to access discrete data of this nature. It is a principle of good business management that authorization of and accounting for overseas travel should be delegated to the lowest proper level and accommodated within overall travel and subsistence budgets. 1 therefor regret that I am unable to help you further. I am sending a copy of this letter to the Agency's owner, the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Personnel & Training Command.

Letter from 1. A. Lumsden to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995: The Secretary of State for Defence has asked the Chief Executive to reply to your Parliamentary Question regarding details of overseas travel in the year 1994–95. The Chief Executive is absent on leave and I am standing in for him. During this period no official overseas travel was undertaken by any civilian members of the Defence Animal Centre. Service personnel travelled to normal service destinations as part of their duties. To obtain further detail on military travel would, however, be disproportionately costly if indeed it were possible.

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995: I have been asked to respond on behalf of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about overseas travel by agency staff. DERA does not hold centrally information about the overseas travel of our staff and I regret this could only be collected at disproportionate cost. 1 should explain that the Agency, which employs over 12,000 staff at over 50 sites in the UK, is organised into five operating divisions. These, in turn, consist of Business Sectors each of which has been delegated considerable managerial and financial freedoms to conduct their affairs in response to customer requirements. Overseas travel is one of the areas which has been delegated and our local managers have the authority to employ a variety of means to make cost effective travel arrangements. It would be disproportionately costly to seek details of all overseas travel by all DERA staff over the last year in these circumstances. I am sorry that I could not be more helpful on this occasion.

Letter from Tweedie McBrown to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995: Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence, PQ 2288, concerning overseas travel by Defence Agency staff has ben passed to me. As Head of the Defence Postal & Courier Services Agency (DPCSA), I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Secretary of State in respect of travel by staff from within my Agency. The DPCSA exists to provide a postal and courier service to MoD/Service establishments in the UK and throughout the rest of the world. My Agency also undertakes work on behalf of other Government Departments, particularly the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. In fulfilling our role we therefore send significant number of staff abroad on a regular basis. During FY 1994/95 the Agency spent £638k on civil airline and RAF transport costs. In addition, foreign accommodation and subsistence amounted to £79k. The Courier Service operates scheduled delivery services for classified material to most countries in which HM Forces personnel are serving, and to HM Ships wherever they operates. We also provide non-scheduled special services when the need arises. The Postal Service operates a scheduled service for non-classified mail to HM Forces serving throughout the world, including HM Ships and UN Forces in locations such as Bosnia. Almost all of the foreign travel & accommodation costs relate to Defence Couriers. These are civilian (ex military) staff employed for the sole purpose of providing the courier service. Military staff from the Agency were also sent abroad to support military operations, particularly in Bosnia. Overseas travel by senior Agency staff is limited to visiting British Forces Post Offices (BFPOs) and other military facilities and is infrequent. I hope you find this information helpful. Should you require any further information please let me know.

Letter from J. C. R. Hunt to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995:

I have been asked to respond to your recent question to the Defence Secretary concerning overseas travel by executive agency staff.In 1994–95 the cost of overseas civil air travel and subsistence for Meteorological Office staff is estimated to have been some £560,000. The costs were incurred in pursuit of the Meteorological Office's role as a member of the international meteorological community.

The countries visited were:

  • Africa
  • South America
  • Ascension
  • New Zealand
  • Belgium
  • Denmark
  • Norway
  • France
  • Switzerland
  • Holland
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Poland
  • Middle East
  • North America
  • Canada
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Cyprus
  • Finland
  • Sweden
  • Germany
  • Gibraltar
  • Ireland
  • Portugal
  • Hungary
  • Russia
  • Far East

Unfortunately information on the posts held by the staff concerned is not available.

I am sorry that I am unable to reply fully to your question but I hope the information I have given will be of help.

Back to