"The Armed Services Forum" (Hansard, 20 January 1998)

§ Mr. Keith Simpson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what editorial independence will be granted to the editor of the journal "The Armed Services Forum". [24095]
475W

§ Dr. Reid
No constraints, other than those laid down in Queen's Regulations, will be placed on the independence of the editor of the Armed Services Forum by the Ministry of Defence.

§ Mr. Keith Simpson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which serving officer or civil servant gave permission to Major Eric Joyce to publish the journal "The Armed Services Forum". [24093]

§ Dr. Reid
Individual Service personnel do not need formal authority to publish such a journal. All Army personnel are entitled to publish any magazine, journal or periodical provided publication does not contravene Queen's Regulations.

§ Mr. Keith Simpson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what costs to his Department will be incurred by the publication of the journal "The Armed Services Forum". [24096]

§ Dr. Reid
The proposed publication of the Armed Services Forum will be an entirely private venture. No additional costs will accrue to the Department.

§ Mr. Keith Simpson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the members of the editorial board of the journal "The Armed Services Forum". [24094]

§ Dr. Reid
The proposed publication of the journal "The Armed Services Forum" is a private venture and the composition of the editorial board will be a matter for the publisher.

§ Mr. Keith Simpson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what ministerial responsibility he had for the decision to give permission to Major Eric Joyce to publish the journal "The Armed Services Forum". [24097]

§ Dr. Reid
Major Joyce does not need formal authority to publish his journal "The Armed Services Forum". His request was clearly a matter for the Military authorities and was dealt with in the normal way, without consulting Ministers. All Army personnel are entitled to publish any magazine, journal or periodical provided publication does not contravene Queen's Regulations.