§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those items valued at more than £25 stolen or lost from his Department since 1 May 1997; and if he will make a statement. [27763]
§ Mr. Spellar[holding answer 5 February 1998]: Reported cases of loss arising from proven or suspected theft are held centrally on a summary basis. Items or 426W groups of items valued at more than £25.00 lost through suspected or proven theft since 1 May 1997 are as follows:
£ Batteries 110 Clothes 2,287 Arctic clothes 6,955 Bedding and furniture 150 IT modem 199 Tableware 1,400 Binoculars 519 Aluminium strips 2,187 Balances 997 Laser printer 800 Television 340 Lap top computers and computer parts 15,000 Tool kit 307 Vehicle straps 536 Petrol 120 31,907 The MOD keeps no central record of items lost other than through theft or fraud. Potential losses are investigated by Commands and budget areas with a view to recovering the item in question and preventing a recurrence. Write-off action must be pursued where a loss is established. Individual losses are separately identified in Appropriation Accounts only where the value exceeds £100,000. Below that figure they are recorded in bulk, and the identification of individual cases valued at more than £25.00 could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost.