HC Deb 07 February 1986 vol 91 cc304-5W
Mr. Michael Forsyth

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list in the Official Report those voluntary bodies and organisations assisted by his Department with grant aid in the last financial year for which figures are available, and the size of the grant so given.

Mr. Norman Lamont

I refer my hon. Friend to the full list of grants-in-aid made by my Department which appears in Vote 1, section K, of the Defence Estimates.

1983–84 Outturn £'000 1984–85 Total Provision £'000 Section K: GRANTS IN AID 1985–86 provision £'000
The hospital, which is governed by a board of commissioners, provides accommodation, food etc. for a number of former servicemen eligible for service pensions (eligibility for admittance depends, for example, upon age, or incapacity due to military service and is also governed by charcter. On being admitted, a pensioner ceases to draw his pension, but may receive pay at various rates according to circumstances)
520 566 K5 Other grants in aid [...] 789
22 (1) Mutual defence co-operation agreement with United States of America; for sterling administrative expenses incurred in the United Kingdom by the Government of the United States of America in connection with military assistance furnished under the Mutual Defence Assistance Act 1949 (Cmnd. 7894)§ 25
1 (2) Royal Aeronautical Society: towards expenses of co-ordinating and assimilating information§ 1
22 (3) Scott Polar Research Institute: towards expenses of the Institute§ 22
405 (4) World Meteorological Organisation: towards the cost of the voluntary co-operation programme of the World Weather Watch§ 458
65 (5) Air Training Corps: to meet minor expenses of administration and training § 73
36 (6) Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies: towards expenses of the Institute§ 37
(Certain other costs of the RUSI (principally the cost of the joint MOD/RUSI library) are provided elsewhere on this Vote and amount to £32,700)
15 (7) International institute for Strategic Studies§ 16
(8) Royal British Legion: to defray the costs of widows' visits to war graves overseas 157
7,276 10,759 Total 11,545

§ Expenditure out of these grants in aid and subscriptions etc to international organisations will not be accounted for in detail to the Comptroller and Auditor General. Any unexpended balances of the sums issued will not be liable to surrender to the Consolidated Fund.

[...] Accounts of expenditure out of these grants in aid will be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General. Any unexpended balances of the sums issued will not be liable to surrender to the Consolidated Fund.

[...] Items where provision is sought under the sole authority of part I of the Estimate and of the confirming Appropriation Act.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list in the Official Report the governmental agencies to which his Department gives grant aid which in turn provide financial support for voluntary bodies and organisations, and the size of the grant so given in the last financial year for which figures are available.

Mr. Norman Lamont

The Ministry of Defence makes no such payments to governmental agencies.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will outline the steps which his Department takes to ensure that grant aid given to voluntary bodies and organisations, whether directly or indirectly, is not used for political purposes.

Mr. Norman Lamont

The provision of grants-in-aid is subject to specific conditions which cover such matters as the purposes for which they may be used. My Department takes a close interest in the activities of the recipient bodies and has a right of access to their accounts.

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