Fact-finding Visits (Hansard, 3 November 1992)

§ Mr. Aitken

This is a matter delegated to my Department's executive agencies under their framework documents. I have therefore asked each chief executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Letter from Dr. P. J. Mason to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 October 1992:

I am responding on behalf of the Chief Executive of the Met Office (who is on business abroad) to your question, "to ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the fact finding visits made in the last 12 months by the chief executive of each executive agency for which he is responsible; and what were the findings resulting from each visit.

The Answer is:

The Chief Executive of the Met Office has made over 50 visits since his appointment in January 1992. These include the following:

The World Meteorological Organisation (Geneva) Various National Met Services (China, France, Norway …)
The European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting
Conference of Directors of Western European National Met Services
Natural Environment Research Council
National Radiological Protection Board (Didcot)
Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory
Mullard Space Laboratory
British Aerospace (Bristol)
National Physical Laboratory
Robert Hooke Institute (Oxford)
The Naval Hydrographer
Royal Air Force Cranwell
Royal Air Force Headquarters Strike Command
Various Met Office Weather Centres
Institute of Professional Managers and Specialists

It is not practicable to list the findings resulting from each individual visit but the aim has been for the Chief Executive to familiarise himself with the work of other related centres and to foster activities of mutual benefit.

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 October 1992:

In today's (2 November 1992) written answer the Minister of State for Defence Procurement informed you that, as Chief Executive of the Defence Research Agency, I would be replying directly to your question concerning fact-finding visits made by Agency Chief Executives.

My colleague Roger Warren wrote to you in July describing my fact finding visits to that date. Since then I have continued to visit on a regular basis the DRA's widely scattered sites in order to meet my staff and to discuss business issues with the relevant managers. I have also continued to be involved in finding out how my major customers in the Ministry of Defence and other Government Departments view the performance of the DRA; establishing a beneficial relationship with customers and collaborators in industry; and discussing mutual problems and concerns with other Agency Chief Executives.

I have, as you know, visited the US and France within the last twelve months to explain the role of the DRA and my vision for its future.

As Dr. Warren said in his letter it would not be practicable and would involve a disproportionate amount of effort to list individual findings from each visit; moreover many of the visits covered matters which are confidential to senior management or arc commercially sensitive.

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I hope that you find this helpful.

Letter from Lt. Col. G. H. Wilson to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 October 1992:

I refer to your parliamentary question, received by me at 1224 hours on Thursday 29th October, which asked the Secretary of State for Defence to list the fact finding visits made in the last 12 months by the chief executive of each executive agency for which he is responsible; and what were the findings resulting from each visit.

The Duke of York's Royal Military School was established as an Executive Agency of the MOD on 1st April 1992. The current headmaster and chief executive is Lt. Col. G. H. Wilson who is now in the seventh week of his first term. Records indicate that his predecessor, as a chief executive from 1st April 1992, made 2 visits which could be described as fact finding. One was a "Next Steps" Agency Conference on 19 May in the Westminster Conference Centre and the second was to the Equal Opportunities Commission in Manchester on 8th June 1992.

The current headmaster and chief executive has made one trip to the Equal Opportunities Commission, in connection with the change of the school's intake policy to include girls from September 1994. The visit has enabled the current headmaster to frame a Transitional Exemption Order from the Sex Discrimination Act and to understand better the requirements of that Act. This will improve the school's plans for co-education.

It is necessary for a headmaster to attend a selection of conferences, meetings and INSET provided by LEAs or professional bodies in order to remain fully conversant with educational developments. These are not included in this return nor are the necessary liaison visits to other schools.

Letter from Julian Hankinson to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 30 October 1992:

I have been asked to write to you in answer to your Parliamentary Question. As an Executive Agency, Queen Victoria School is an MOD boarding school for Scottish Servicemen's Sons, and no fact finding visits have been carried out by the Headmaster/Chief Executive since the School became an Agency on 1 April 1992.

The Headmaster/Chief Executive has attended In-Service educational Conferences etc provided by national and local educational agencies.

I trust this answer supplies the information you require. Any further information can be supplied if you wish it.

Letter from Rear Admiral J. A. L. Myres, to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 30 October 1992:

You recently asked the Secretary of State for Defence to list the fact finding visits made in the last twelve months by the Chief Executive of each Executive Agency for which he is responsible; and what were the findings resulting from each visit. The Minister has asked me, as Chief Executive, to reply in respect of the Hydrographic Office Defence Support Agency.

In June of this year I visited the Maritime Hydrographic Directorate of Romania, at the invitation of the Romanian Government. I have just returned from a visit to the Department of Navigation and Oceanography of the Russian Federation, returning a visit made to the United Kingdom by the Russian Hydrographer in October 1991. Both of my visits to the national hydrographic authorities of former Eastern bloc countries have resulted in the release of hydrographic information which was previously unobtainable and which will assist in the safety of international shipping.

As Chief Executive of the Hydrographic Office I represent the United Kingdom in a number of international fora. In May of this year I attended the most important of these, the XIVth International Hydrographic Conference in Monaco. This provided the opportunity to keep in touch with developments throughout the international hydrographic community and ensure that UK remains at the forefront of this activity, which is central to safety of life and property at sea.

I hope this information is helpful.

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Letter from I. S. Mitchelson, chief executive of Service Children's Schools (North-West Europe) to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 October 1992:

I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence in which you asked him to list the fact finding visits made in the last 12 months by the Chief Executive of each Executive Agency for which he is responsible and what were the findings resulting from each visit.

You do not define exactly what you mean by a fact finding visit but for the purpose of this reply I am assuming that you are seeking information about visits outside the normal run of duties for the purpose of obtaining background information which might inform in a general way the Chief Executive's running of an Agency. I also assume you would wish to exclude normal consultative machinery which feeds to the Chief Executive information regarding the circumstances in which an agency is working or the way in which its services appear to be being received.

Within this definition of a fact finding visit there have been no occasions in the last 12 months when I have undertaken such visits.

If you require further information or feel I can be of further assistance please do not hesitate to get in touch with me.

Letter from Air Vice-Marshal D. R. French to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 October 1992:

Maintenance Group Defence Support Agency— Fact Finding Visits of the Chief Executive

Date	Visit	Findings
6 November 1991	Robinson College, Cambridge University, Energy Management Seminar	1, 2
26 November 1991	RAF Chilmark	2
28 November 1991	RAF Lindholme, 840 Signals Unit, Tornado Radar Repair Squadron (RAF Scampton)	2
9 December 1991	Chief of Air Staffs Conference of Station Commanders, RAF Bracknell	4
17 December 1991	Heads of Engineering Authority Meeting, Ministry of Defence	4
16 January 1992	NEC Birmingham, Aerotech 92 Exhibition	4
24 January 1992	St. Athan Visit with Secretary of State for Defence	4
5 February 1992	Defence Support Agency Meeting, Feltham	4
20–21 February 1992	Agency Chief Executives Meeting, Harrogate	4
10 March 1992	Meeting with Air Member for Supply and Organisation/BAe	4
12–13 March 1992	Siemens Nixdorf Visit, Hanover	4
19 March 1992	RAF Stanbridge, Logistic Establishment	4
23 March 1992	RAF Carlisle Visit	1, 2
24 March 1992	Meeting with Chief of Logistic Support (Royal Air Force)	4
25 March 1992	RAF Swanton Morley	2
26 March 1992	RAF Oakhanger	1, 2
9 April 1992	RAF Abingdon	3
29 April 1992	RAF St. Athan (including OMB Visit)	1, 2, 4

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In response to the Parliamentary Question 7237F-E42 seeking a list of the fact finding visits made in the last 12 months by the Chief Executive, please accept our response at Annex A.

Annex A

Maintenance Group DSA Chief Executive's fact finding visits during the last 12 months

1. The Chief Executive of the Maintenance Group DSA, is also the Air Officer Commanding Maintenance Units within RAF Support Command. Thus the Chief Executive has military responsibilities additional to those as an agency executive.

2. The "findings code" against each visit is:

a. Code 1.. That Maintenance Group DSA Key Management Targets are being met.
b. Code 2. That targets specified in the Maintenance Group Management Plan are being met.
c. Code 3. Annual Formal Inspection ensuring that the operational standard of the RAF Stations concerned are being maintained.
d. Code 4.Visits associated with the development of the Maintenance Group DSA's capabilities, structures and relationships with the MOD, or other agencies, including the Group's customers. The findings provide a means of improving the Group's development and service given to the customer.
e. Code 5. Visits concerning the Ministerial Market Testing Initiative—the findings being advice and policy direction.
f. Code 6. Information to enhance the communication engineering and signals operations capabilities of the Maintenance Group.

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Date	Visit	Findings
7 May 1992	RAF Chilmark	3
8 May 1992	Fairey Hydraulics Open Day	4
12 May 1992	RAF Swanton Morley	3
14 May 1992	RAF Stafford	3
21 May 1992	RAF Oakhanger	3
26 May 1992	RAF Digby	3
28 May 1992	RAF Sealand	3
29 May 1992	Meeting with Controller of Aircraft and Deputy Controller of Aircraft	4
3 June 1992	Customer Advisory Committee Meeting, Ministry of Defence	4
16 June 1992	Meeting with Air Member for Supply and Organisation, Ministry of Defence	5
19–26 June 1992	United States Air Force Communications Visit	6
14 July 1992	RAF North Luffenham	3
20 July 1992	Royal Air Force Signals Engineering Establishment, RAF Henlow	1, 2, 4
6 August 1992	RAF Brampton (AO Maint. Host), Defence Support Agency Chief Executives Conference	4
10 September 1992	RAF Carlisle	3
17 September 1992	RAF Quedgeley	3
18 September 1992	Meeting with Chief of Logistic Support	5
23 September 1992	Meeting with Air Member for Supply and Organisation and Chief of Logistic Support	4
24 September 1992	Royal Air Force Signals Engineering Establishment, RAF Henlow	3
25 September 1992	Electronic Warfare Avionics Division	3
14 October 1992	Chief of Air Staff's Conference of Station Commanders, RAF Bracknell	4
15 October 1992	Chief of Logistic Support Quality Meeting, Ministry of Defence	4
22 October 1992	RAF Radio Introduction Unit	2

Letter from M. J. Dymond to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 3 November 1992:

You asked the Secretary of State for Defence to list the fact finding visits made in the last 12 months by the Chief Executives of MOD executive agencies. As Chief Executive of the Defence Accounts Agency I have made frequent visits to all parts of my organisation for management purposes.

Letter from Dr. Graham Pearson to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 2 November 1992:

1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State to ask if he would list for the last twelve months, the fact finding visits the Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has made, what his findings were from each visit, has been passed to me for reply.

2. Please refer to my previous letter of 10 July in which I said:

"As you know, the role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out research to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them so that they can maintain their operational effectiveness. In the course 110W of any year, I make many visits on which I invariably obtain a better insight into some facet or another related to our mission.

It would be impracticable and would involve a disproportionate amount of effort to list all my fact finding visits. As the precise effectiveness of our protective measures is classified information, many if not all of my memoranda and reports following visits I have made are classified or bear a confidentiality marking.

However, if there is a particular aspect on which you would like additional information, please feel free to write directly to me and I will do my best to provide the information that you seek."

Letter from Major General R. Wood, Director General of Military Survey to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 October 1992:

In reply to your Parliamentary Question number 7237F, which I received today, I have made no visits during the last twelve months which were aimed specifically at fact-finding.

Letter from Captain D. E. Symonds to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 2 November 1992:

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In response to your Parliamentary question to the Secretary of State for Defence concerning fact finding visits made by the Chief Executive of each executive agency for which he is responsible, the Naval Aircraft Repair Organisation has been a Defence Support Agency since 1 April 1992 and during that time the Chief Executive has not made any fact finding visits.

Letter from Paul Altobell, chief executive of the Defence Analytical Services Agency, to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 30 October 1992:

Minister of State (DP) suggested that I write to you about my fact finding visits made in the past twelve months.

I have in fact made no fact finding visits of any substance outside MoD or Government Statistical areas. On the other hand I have had many meetings with my main customers in the Department and with the Central Statistical Office.

The main findings of these meetings were that structural and strategic changes were needed in my organisation to meet the needs of customers. These changes are now in the process of being implemented.

Letter from Dr. D. Leadbetter to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 2 November 1992:

The Defence Operational Analysis Centre was formed as a Defence Support Agency on 1st July 1992 remains in the line management chain within the Ministry of Defence and is, therefore not an executive agency. A majority of the agency's customers are within the Department; so it is able to use the full facilities of the Department to gather data, information and assumptions essential to the efficient and effective conduct of its studies. These collaborative investigations with colleagues in the Department, United Kingdom industry and defence partners have been particularly important in this short period of agency status in contributing to studies currently considering United Kingdom force structure options and the use of simulators for Service training and military exercises.

Letter from Brigadier M. A. Browne to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 2 November 1992:

Further to your question, raised in the House on 26 October, to the Secretary of State for Defence concerning fact finding visits made in the last 12 months by Chief Executives of Defence Agencies and the findings resulting from each visit, I have been asked to respond as Chief Executive of the Defence Postal and Courier Services—Defence Support Agency.

This DSA was formed on 1 July 1992 and during these initial few months while plans have been laid for such visits in my capacity as Chief Executive I have been unable to fit them into my programme.

I am sure that you will appreciate that time has been of a premium during this 3 month period when my organisation has undergone such a fundamental change.