HC Deb 12 November 2001 vol 374 cc525-6W
Mr. Jenkin

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the(a) acts and (b) costs of artists performing for UK forces overseas, in the past five years. [14122]

Mr. Ingram

Information in the precise format requested is not held by the Ministry of Defence. Officials are, however, establishing with the Services Sound and Vision Corporation who organise "Combined Services Entertainment" details of the number of shows performed in each of the past five years, the overall cost for each in the normal way through the Official Journal of the European Communities. It would then be open for any proposals for the college, including its location, to be put forward for consideration as part of the competitive process. We anticipate a variety of sites, including existing MOD and other locations, to be proposed.

A decision on the way forward is unlikely before next year.