UK Met Office – questions asked!
UK Parliamentarians raises questions with the Minister responsible for the UK Met Office with respect to the Cabinet Office Asset Portfolio and the impact on private sector weather companies.
Parliamentary material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO on behalf of Parliament
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what meetings are planned for the Met Office Review Group; whether the group plans to consider the Cabinet Office Asset Portfolio; and if he will make a statement. [308394]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The Met Office Review Group plans to meet regularly over the coming months to continue the work of the Operational Efficiency Programme review as outlined in the Asset Portfolio.
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department next plan to meet the Shareholder Executive to discuss the future of the Met Office; and if he will make a statement. [308395]
Mr. Kevan Jones: Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Shareholder Executive officials are represented on the Met Office Review Group, which next plans to meet in 5 Jan 2010 : Column 30W early 2010. There are no plans for MOD Ministers to meet Shareholder Executive officials to discuss the Met Office.
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the composition of the Met Office Review Group will be changed in consequence of the publication of the Cabinet Office's Asset Portfolio; and if he will make a statement. [308396]
Mr. Kevan Jones: There are no plans to change the composition of the Met Office Review Group.
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the publication of the Cabinet Office's Asset Portfolio on the work of the Met Office Review Group; whether any consequential changes will be made to the terms of reference of the Met Office Review Group; and if he will make a statement. [308397]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The Asset Portfolio gave an update on the findings of the Met Office Operational Efficiency Programme Review to date, and set a direction for future work which will be taken forward by the Review Group over the coming months.
There are no plans to change the terms of reference of the Met Office Review Group.
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department plan to meet representatives from private sector weather companies to discuss the recent publication of the Cabinet Office's Asset Portfolio; and if he will make a statement. [308398]
Mr. Kevan Jones: There are no current plans for Ministry of Defence Ministers or officials to meet representatives from private sector weather companies to discuss the recent publication of the Asset Portfolio.
Shareholder Executive officials have met with private sector weather companies as part of the Met Office Operational Efficiency Programme review.”
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“Government Departments: Cost-effectiveness
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister how many staff worked on the Operational Efficiency Programme; how many (a) meetings and (b) video conferences were held as part of the work of the programme; how much was spent on travel costs for the programme's advisers to attend meetings; and how much was spent on the programme. [307370]
Mr. Byrne: I have been asked to reply.
The operational efficiency programme final report was the product of work led by five advisers: Dr. Martin Read, Mr. Martin Jay, Mr. Gerry Grimstone, Lord 5 Jan 2010 : Column 88W Carter of Coles and Sir Michael Bichard. They worked without pay, but their expenses were recoverable. They were supported by a team based from HM Treasury. At its peak this team numbered 12. Given the cross-cutting nature of the review and the number of organisations involved, HM Treasury does not centrally hold figures showing the total cost, number of meetings or number of video-conferences held.”
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