Met Office may impact the market

Source: Parliament, UK

UK Parliamentarians raise questions on the Met Offices future and the potential impact on the market

London: 1 March 2010

UK Parliamentarians have raised yet again further questions about the UK Governments intentions with respect to the UK Met Office and the UK Hydrographic Office.

Parliamentary material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO on behalf of Parliament

“Met Office

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Met Office Review Group continues to meet. [319152]

1 Mar 2010 : Column 849W—continued

1 Mar 2010 : Column 850W

Mr. Kevan Jones: The Met Office Review Group continues to meet on a regular basis.

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department last met the Shareholder Executive to discuss the future of the Met Office; and when he expects the next such meeting to take place. [319153]

Mr. Kevan Jones: MOD Officials met with the shareholder executive and discussed the future of the Met Office on 23 February 2010. MOD officials and the shareholder executive meet on a regular basis to discuss the future of the Met Office.

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will meet representatives from the private weather sector to discuss the future of the Met Office. [319154]

Mr. Kevan Jones: The Secretary of State for Defence has no current plans to meet representatives from the private weather sector to discuss the future of the Met Office. However, Shareholder Executive officials have met private sector weather companies as part of the Met Office Operational Efficiency Programme review.

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has made a recent estimate of the contribution of the private weather sector to the economy. [319155]

Mr. Kevan Jones: The Secretary of State for Defence has not made a recent estimate of the contribution of the private weather sector to the economy.

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what business models the Met Office Review Group is considering for the Met Office. [319156]

Mr. Kevan Jones: The recommendations of the Operational Efficiency Programme Asset Portfolio Document published in December 2009 outlined that the Met Office should pursue a range of value enhancing opportunities in terms of commercial business growth, improvement to their business model and efficiency through cross-government collaboration. There remains an option in the medium term that status should be kept under review as conditions and opportunities change.”

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“1 Mar 2010 : Column 901W—continued

Horserace Totalisator Board

Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent progress has been made in preparations for the sale of the Tote; and if he will make a statement. [319830]

Mr. Bradshaw: The Government are preparing for the sale of the Tote in line with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's announcement on 12 October 2009.

The current intention is that a sale process would start in summer 2010 and be completed around March 2011.”

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“26 Feb 2010 : Column 774W

Met Office: Pay

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been paid in bonuses to staff employed at the Met Office in each of the last five years. [318171]

Mr. Kevan Jones: Met Office staff are eligible to receive performance related pay based on achievements against specific targets agreed and monitored by the Met Office Board, which are linked to the success of the Met Office at either individual, team or organisational level. Payments are non-consolidated and represent part of Met Office staff remuneration which is at risk and needs to be re-earned each year.

The following table details the amount paid in performance related pay to staff employed at the Met Office in each of the last five years.”

£

 

Total paid in non-consolidated, performance related awards

Average award

2008-09

2,720,000

1,485

2007-08

2,734,000

1,545

2006-07

2,491,000

1,458

2005-06

2,642,000

1,499

2004-05

1,742,000

968

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“26 Feb 2010 : Column 775W

United Kingdom Hydrographic Office

Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to privatise the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office. [318903]

Mr. Kevan Jones: We have no plans to privatise the UK Hydrographic Office.”

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