HC Deb 30 January 1996 vol 270 cc604-6W
Mr. Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the expenditure of his Department, his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies on all forms of overseas travel, overseas accommodation and other associated expenses for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11421]

Mr. Soames

The information requested is not held in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

For some details of overseas travel costs for Defence agencies, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement on 29 November 1995, Official Report, columns 758–67.

Mr. Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of expenditure on all forms of hospitality and entertainment by(a) his Department, (b) his Department's agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies, for (i) 1979–80, (ii) 1989–90, (iii) 1991–92, (iv) 1993–94, (v) 1994–95, (vi) 1995–96 and (v) 1996–97. [11418]

Mr. Soames

Records of expenditure on hospitality in my Department before 1992–93 can be collated only at disproportionate cost, and estimates for the financial year 1996–97 have yet to be finalised. Total expenditure for the years 1992–93 to 1995–96 is given in the list:

  1. (i) 1992–93: £4.952 million
  2. (ii) 1993–94: £4.577 million
  3. (iii) 1994–95: £4.867 million
  4. (iv) 1995–96: £4.843 million (estimated final spend)

The figures include expenditure incurred by the Ministry of Defence itself, by formations and establishments of the armed forces at home and abroad, and by individual officers occupying command and international appointments for which entertainment allowances are payable. Figures for agencies and non-departmental public bodies are not held separately.

Mr. Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of departmental expenditure on administration for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11419]

Mr. Soames

Details of defence operating costs for the years 1989–90 to 1997–98 are contained in table 4 of my Department's most recent departmental report, Cm 2801, of March 1995, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. Figures for 1979–80 are not available in the form requested.

Mr. Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of his Department's expenditure on newspapers and magazines in(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96, to date; and if he will list the publications purchased for the latest year for which information is available. [11422]

Mr. Arbuthnot

Until April 1995, all books, journals, newspapers and other commercial publications required for the official duties of the Department and the services were purchased by more than 150 purchasing authorities worldwide.

The total expenditure on commercial publications in 1993–94 was £6.134 million, of which it is estimated that £3.373 million was spent on scientific and technical journals, and £306,000 was spend on newspapers and weekly publications.

In 1994–95, the total spend was £6.626 million, with estimated spends of £3.644 million on scientific and technical journals, and £331,000 on newspapers and weekly publications. In 1995–96, £6.191 million was allocated for the purchase of commercial publications. This sum was disaggregated to the budgets of individual units in April 1995, and the spend to date is £2.257 million.

There are no central records of which material was purchased from 1993 to date, and this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the expenditure of his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies on all external consultants including management consultants for each of the years(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95 and (f) 1995–96 (i) to date and (ii) as estimated for the whole year; what estimate he has made of such expenditure for 1996–97; and if he will estimate the savings accruing to his Department from the use of consultants in each of these years. [11331]

Mr. Soames

[holding answer 25 January 1996]: Individual budget holders in my Department have delegated powers to employ external consultants as they think fit within the limit of their resources and consistent with all requirements for propriety and value for money. The information required is currently not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the total expenditure of his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies on publicity for each of the years(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95 and (f) 1995–96 (i) to date and (ii) as estimated for the whole year; what estimate he has made of such expenditure for 1996–97; and if he will break these figures down to indicate expenditure on (1) advertising and (2) press and public relations. [11332]

Mr. Soames

[holding answer 25 January 1996]: This information is not held centrally in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Details of recent central MOD expenditure on publicity is contained in the MOD departmental report, Cm 2801, and the MOD performance report, Cm 3055, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

Mr. Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the annual telephone costs to(a) his Department, (b) his Department's agencies and (c) his Department's non-departmental public bodies staff for each of the years (i) 1979–80, (ii) 1989–90, (iii) 1991–92, (iv) 1993–94, (v) 1994–95, (vi) 1995–96 and (vii) 1996–97; and if internal telephone directories are available to staff in all areas of (a) to (c). [11334]

Mr. Soames

[holding answer 25 January 1996]: Some information about my Department's telephone costs for the period 1993–94, is contained in the 14th report of the Committee of Public Accounts, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

Details for other years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.