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Exercise Air Warrior
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many sorties were flown by Royal Air Force Harriers during their deployment to Nellis Air Force base for the Air Warrior exercise in August 1994. [1312]
Mr. Soames: A total of 202 sorties were flown by RAF Harriers during Exercise Air Warrior.
Italian Tornado
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of support provided by the Royal Air Force to a training detachment of Italian Air Force Tornado aircraft at Goose bay, Canada, in April to May 1995; and what proportion of this amount was recovered from the Italian authorities. [1283]
Mr. Soames: The Royal Air Force incurred total costs of £118.36 for laundry services provided to the Italian Air Force. It was not considered necessary to recover this.
Strike Command
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what means are used to ensure that locations or features selected for inclusion in the Strike Command list of simulated targets for toss or dive attack referred to in his answer of 18 October 1993, Official Report, column 54, have not been included in previous editions of the list. [1107]
Mr. Soames: Simulated targets are included on the Strike Command list on the basis of their current suitability whether or not they have previously been listed.
Acts of Parliament
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Acts of Parliament and consolidation Acts that affect local government that have been introduced by his Department since January 1994. [37]
Mr. Soames: No such Acts have been introduced by my Department since January 1994.
Exercise Red Flag
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many sorties were flown by each type of Royal Air Force aircraft during Exercise Red Flag 94-2. [1311]
Mr. Soames: A total of 298 Tornado GR1 sorties were flown during this exercise.
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Mr. Foulkes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what were the dates of arrival and departure of Royal Air Force aircraft deployed to Goose bay for flying training in the 1994 season; [1277]
(2) what were the dates of arrival and departure of Royal Air Force aircraft deployed to Goose bay for flying training in the 1995 season. [1313]
Mr. Soames:
Royal Air Force aircraft were deployed to Goose bay for flying training as follows:
| 1994 | 1995 | |
|---|---|---|
| Hercules | 13-17 March | 23-28 January |
| Tornado GR1 | 14 April-27 June | 6 July-27 September |
| 1 August-26 September |
Operation Deliberate Force
Mr. Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which RAF aircraft participated in Operation Deliberate Force. [362]
Mr. Soames: Harrier GR7, Jaguar GR1B, Tornado F3, E3D, Tristar K1 and Nimrod.
Mr. Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flying hours were involved in Operation Deliberate Force. [363]
Mr. Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Harrier GR7s took part in Operation Deliberate Force. [367]
Mr. Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the bombs dropped during Operation Deliberate Force were dropped by Harrier GR7s in daylight raids; and what proportion were dropped on night missions. [368]
Mr. Soames: All of the bombs dropped by the RAF during Operation Deliberate Force were delivered by Harrier GR7s in daylight missions.
Mr. Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Jaguars GR1Bs took part in Operation Deliberate Force. [365]
School Places, North Devon
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department made of the extra number of school places needed in North Devon due to the Royal Marines moving from Plymouth to Chivenor; and if he will make a statement about discussions on this matter with Devon county council. [228]
Mr. Soames: The number of service families projected to move into the Chivenor area with children likely to require local schooling was assessed in the feasibility study. Discussions with the North Devon district council and with local headmasters commenced at the earliest stages, and these are continuing. Indications are that the number of children requiring places in local authority
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schools will be of the order of 110. It is not possible to be precise since families will exercise free choice over educational provision for their children. Given the departure of a number of RAF families with school-age children, contacts with the relevant authorities in North Devon indicate that there is unlikely to be a need for any net increase in the provision of school places.
Capital Works Costs
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what capital costs have been incurred by his Department since 1990 at (a) Seaton barracks and (b) Coypool, Plymouth. [229]
Mr. Soames: The sums spent on capital works projects at Seaton barracks and Royal Marine Coypool since the beginning of the financial year 1990-91 are £1.916 million and £1.909 million respectively.
Chivenor
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the projected annual cost of providing transport between Plymouth and Chivenor for marines who have been transferred to Chivenor but are quartered in Plymouth. [230]
Mr. Soames: A temporary bus service is currently in place, primarily for personnel whose families are awaiting a move into family quarters at Royal Marines barracks Chivenor. This interim arrangement is planned to last a matter of months, until the units settle into Chivenor, and it is estimated that it will cost less than £5,000. This sum was included in the investment appraisal attached to the consultation document published in July 1995.
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the consultants appointed to advise his Department abut the transfer of marines from Plymouth to Chivenor; and if he will list their previous experience advising on military matters and the fees paid to them. [231]
Mr. Soames: The feasibility study on the use of Chivenor by units of the Royal Marines Command was headed by DHV Consultants Ltd. of Plymouth, a firm experienced in consultancy work for the Ministry of Defence. Assisting in the overall study were the architects Stride Treglown, mechanical and electrical engineering specialists Torpy and Partners, and quantity surveyors A.L. Currie and Brown, all of Plymouth. The advice given by particular consultants was strictly confined to their areas of expertise as described. Military judgment and views were supplied by members of the Royal Marines Command and other relevant MOD branches. The cost of the option studies carried out was of the order of £130,000, inclusive of VAT.
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the cost of capital building work carried out at RAF Chivenor since 1987, indicating when the work was carried out; and if he will give an assessment of the cost of additional capital work that will be required to accommodate the Royal Marines. [232]
Mr. Soames: Since 1987, £5,223,000 has been spent on capital works projects at RAF Chivenor. Work was carried out in 1987, 1992, and 1993. As indicated in the
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published consultative document, the estimated cost of capital works required to adapt existing facilities and provide new buildings at Chivenor to meet the agreed technical statements of requirements for the two units is £19.5 million.
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the additional cost to be borne by Devon county council for road improvements resulting from the transfer of Royal Marines from Plymouth to Chivenor. [233]
Mr. Soames: The ability of local roads to handle traffic from Royal Marines units moving to Chivenor formed part of the feasibility study which preceded the relocation proposal. Analysis was based on the use which the relevant units made of the roads in the Plymouth area and of the existing use made by civilian vehicles of the roads in North Devon. The North Devon authorities have been carefully consulted throughout. Overall, it was concluded that no road improvements would be needed as a direct result of these units moving to Chivenor.
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of removing essential equipment from RAF Chivenor, following the decision to transfer the RAF; and what the cost will be of reinstating this equipment for use by the marines. [234]
Mr. Soames: The Royal Air Force and Royal Marines have worked closely together on the handover of Chivenor. Beyond such things as catering and domestic equipment, which has been left in place, there is no overlap between the equipment essential to the operation of an RAF unit with 44 jet aircraft and that of two Royal Marine Command units holding a variety of specialist battlefield logistic and engineering equipment. No costs are therefore foreseen.
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the Royal Marines transferring from Plymouth to Chivenor will occupy married quarters in North Devon; and how many will remain in the quarters in Plymouth. [235]
Mr. Soames: To minimise family disruption, it is left to individual families to decide whether to move when its service member is posted elsewhere--subject to their current family quarter not being required for higher priority purposes. Nevertheless, indications are that a total of 156 Royal Marine Commando families will have moved to Chivenor by early in the new year.
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