§ 21. Sir Anthony Royleasked the Secretay of State for Defence what was the annual cost of the Meteorological Office for 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981; how many staff were employed during these years; what percentage of this staff and cost is assessable to the civil unit of the office; what annual financial contribution the media make in order to receive the forecasting service; and whether, in view of the Meteorological Office's recent performance, he will set up an inquiry into the possibility of transferring the civil operation to private enterprise.
§ Mr. WigginFor the information requested in the first part of my hon. Friend's question I refer him to tables 5.3 and 7.9 of volume 2 of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1981. The Meteorological Office has no civil unit but approximately 65 per cent of its total cost and staff are attributable to civil tasks. The free public service accounts for about 13 per cent. of total cost and receipts for about 39 per cent. Receipts from the news media in 1980–81 were £158, 000. There have been many examinations of the Meteorological Office, most recently404W in 1980, and these have shown that to separate its civil and defence tasks would involve unjustifiable duplication of expense and effort.