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Written question asked by Matt Hancock (Conservative) on Thursday, 11 November 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 15 November 2010. It was answered by Lord Robathan (Conservative) on Thursday, 9 December 2010 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Departmental Press: Subscriptions

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which local newspapers his Department had a subscription between May 2006 and May 2010; on what date each such subscription started; and what the cost to the public purse was of such subscriptions.
Answer

The Ministry of Defence has an enabling contract with a supplier to provide newspapers and copyrate magazines at a discounted rate to units within the London area which came into force on 1 March 2002. MOD is in the process of re-tendering this contract with a view to reducing the cost.MOD units outside London may purchase newspapers under local arrangements. Information on the titles ordered and expenditure under these local arrangements is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.Overall expenditure under the enabling contract for the supply of copyrate magazines, national and regional newspapers for units within the London area for the period May 2006 to May 2010, and also for June 2010 to date, is as follows:

£
May 2006-April 2007 54,084.96
May 2007-April 2008 61,506.52
May 2008-April 2009 69,648.61
May 2009-May 2010 90,370.07
June 2010-November 2010 25,545.91

No central record is kept of the individual titles ordered under the contract, and this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
24429; 520 c425-6W
Session
2010-12
Subjects
Press Ministry of Defence Subscriptions
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk