HL Deb 11 October 1999 vol 605 cc76-7WA
Lord Hill-Norton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many copies of the booklet containing the text of a speech by the Secretary of State for Defence given at the Royal United Services Institute on 29 June and entitled Kosovo: Some preliminary thoughts were printed and distributed; what was the total cost of printing and distribution; whether these costs were borne by the Labour Party; if not, which department bore these costs; and what was the purpose of this distribution. [HL4065]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

Three thousand copies of this booklet have been produced at a total cost of £1,630.90. Distribution costs are not separately identifiable. All costs have been borne by the Ministry of Defence. This was an important speech giving the most detailed public statement to date by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence on the issues emerging from the Kosovo campaign. It was therefore appropriate that it should be made available more widely.