HC Deb 17 September 2004 vol 424 cc1866-7W
Harry Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the activities of the Defence Diversification Agency are; who the senior employee is; how much it spent in(a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04; and what its budget is for 2004–05. [188918]

Mr. Ingram

The Defence Diversification Agency continues to pursue its original aims of encouraging the wider use of defence science and technology in the civil sector, encouraging the transfer of suitable civil technology into military programmes and assisting the defence industry with their own diversification planning. The Agency is headed by Professor Damien McDonnell OBE. Gross expenditure in 2001–02 was £2.6 million, in 2002–03 £4.1 million and 2003–04 £4.6 million. The budget for the current year is £5.5 million.

Harry Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the members of the Defence Diversification Council; and how frequently it meets. [188919]

Mr. Ingram

The formation of a Defence Diversification Council has not been pursued pending the completion of an internal review of the Defence Diversification Agency.