The MoD's director general of finance, Jon Thompson, told the committee it could be some years before the problem was resolved because of the scale of the MoD's "845, 000 lines of stock, spread across 78 IT systems, covering anywhere in the world we currently have bases".

BBC: MPs alarmed by 'missing' ?6.3bn defence assets

There is a ban on publishing anything revealing the identity of Jon Venables or Robert Thompson.

BBC: Attorney general takes action over 'Bulger killer images'

Two-year-old James was killed by Jon Venables and Robert Thompson after being snatched by them from a shopping centre in Bootle on 12 February 1993.

BBC: James Bulger murder: 'I will never forget mother's scream'

Channel 4 News host Jon Snow was named national presenter of the year, beating the BBC's Jon Sopel and Sky's Jeremy Thompson, and Channel 4's Alex Thomson won television journalist of the year.

BBC: Jimmy Savile expose wins TV news awards

Captain Bruce Reihana was out for five months after injuring his knee in the second week of the season, World-Cup winner Steve Thompson might not play again because of a neck injury and midfield fulcrum Jon Clarke has been out since breaking an ankle in September.

BBC: Saints on the brink