Newsletters (Hansard, 6 March 1998)

§ Dr. Reid

Where these matters fall to the Chief Executives of my Department's agencies, I have asked the Chief Executives to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Mike Wilson to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 6 March 1998: I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence Vetting Agency's Newsletter as this falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive. The Defence Vetting Agency produces an unclassified internal newsletter for its staff called "Vetting News". The newsletter is produced quarterly. The first issue of Vetting News was published in June 1997; the third issue is in preparation. You may care to note that the Defence Vetting Agency formed on 1 April 1997, and is faced with a particularly turbulent period involving collocation, reorganisation and the introduction of new systems and processes. The newsletter is an important means of helping to ensure that staff are kept aware of what is going on during this time. I hope this is helpful.

Letter from Grahame Jones to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 6 March 1998: I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the current security classification of newsletters produced for the staff of several of his Defence Agencies, as these matters fall within my responsibility as Chief Executive of the Royal Air Force Signals Engineering Establishment Defence Agency. Specifically, you asked for details of: how often each newsletter is produced, and when each newsletter was first issued. The Agency currently produces three newsletters for its staff:

A Personnel Publicity Bulletin, which informs Service men and women of pertinent and topical personnel issues. The news letter has been in existence for many years, and certainly for the life of the Agency, and is published monthly and whenever there are specific topics of interest. 810W A Civilian Personnel Bulletin, which informs Civil Service employees of pertinent and topical personnel issues. Like its Service equivalent, this newsletter has been in existence for many years, but is published weekly. Antenna", a general interest newsletter, which also provides for the staff to express their views on any topic connected with the Agency's business. This newsletter was launched on 13 February this year, and is published weekly. All three newsletters are unclassified.

Letter from Mr. S. R. Hill to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 6 March 1998: 1. I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence that sought the current security classification of the newsletters produced for the staff of the Naval Aircraft Repair Organisation (NARO) as this falls within may area of responsibility as Chief Executive. 2. I am able to confirm that the Fleetlands Bulletin and Almondbank Weekly Orders are both unclassified, issued weekly and first produced more than 20 years ago. Contact magazine is unclassified, is issued quarterly to both sites in the NARO, and was first produced in January 1998.