House of Commons Hansard Debates for 10 Jun 1993

Mr. Aitken : Officials in my Department did receive representations from Airwork Ltd. requesting a relaxation in the turn-round time requirement of this contract. These were being considered at the time the contract was terminated.

Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what investigations were undertaken into the ultimate ownership and credit worthiness of Airwork Ltd. of Hurn airport, Bournemouth, before the award of the contract for modification of the F3 Tornados for 1992-93.

Mr. Aitken : Airwork Ltd. is on the defence contractor's list, and as such has been the subject of our normal inquiries as to ownership and credit worthiness. We are satisfied that the company's financial position was adequate for a contract of this nature.

Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the termination of the Airwork Ltd. contract for F3 Tornado modification.

Mr. Aitken : The contract with Airwork Ltd. for Tornado F3 fatigue modification work was terminated when it was established that the company's performance was sufficiently unsatisfactory to justify such action on the grounds of breach of contract.

Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has for assessment of the relative value of quality assurance certificate ISO9001 as against active quality assurance trials in subcontracted RAF aircraft modification work.

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Mr. Aitken : My Department's investigation into the contract with Airwork Ltd. for modification of RAF F3 Tornados will include a review of the adequacy of the quality assurance arrangements.

Combat Aircraft (Modifications)

Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to re-assess the use of market testing, privatisation, compulsory competitive tendering, and

contractorisation in modification work on RAF combat aircraft ; and what proposals he has to include RAF in-house tenders in all such combat aircraft modification work.

Mr. Aitken : I have no plans to reassess these programmes which are intended to achieve better value for money from defence expenditure. It remains our policy to contractorise work which could be done by industry where it is cost effective to do so in a way that fully meets our requirements ; we will encourage in-house bids where appropriate. We continue to place a heavy emphasis on ensuring that work carried out by contractors meets our exacting quality standards, and we will take firm action where we judge that this is not the case.

Iraq

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursant to his answer of 2 April, Official Report, column 510, if he has now obtained a copy of the CIA report on Iraq's military capabilities.

Mr. Hanley : No ; although requested, a copy has not yet been passed to the United Kingdom.

Military Presence Overseas

Mrs. Roche : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria are used for deciding which countries retain a British military presence and in which this presence is curtailed or abandoned.

Mr. Hanley : British forces are stationed overseas to ensure the protection and security of our dependent territories ; as part of our contribution to the North Atlantic Alliance ; and to contribute to promoting the United Kingdom's wider security interests through the maintenance of international peace and stability. These correspond to the three overlapping defence roles set out in the 1992 "Statement on the Defence Estimates". Overseas commitments are entered into, adjusted or ended only after lengthy consideration, and where appropriate consultation, on a case-by-case basis.

Mrs. Roche : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the annual costs of retaining a British military presence in each overseas country in which United Kingdom troops were stationed in the last year for which figures are available.

Mr. Hanley : I will write to the hon. Member.

Brunei

Mrs. Roche : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost of (a) British military personnel and (b) British military equipment in Brunei in (i) 1979, (ii) 1985 and (iii) the last year for which figures are available.

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Mr. Hanley : The costs of military personnel or equipment stationed in Brunei under the current memorandum of understanding with HM the Sultan of Brunei are met in full by the Government of Brunei. Records of the costs for these forces are not available in the form requested but the following information is available by financial year :


2

£ million                                         

          |1981-82|1984-85|1985-86|1992-93        

--------------------------------------------------

Personnel |3.6    |6.1    |9.0    |11.0           

Equipment |1.1    |2.9    |<1>3.2 |4.2            

          |-------|-------|-------|-------        

Total     |4.7    |9.0    |12.2   |15.2           

<1> This figure includes elements that are not    

included in the equipment costs for other years   

but which are not separately identifiable.

The costs of the Army's jungle training school in Brunei are met by the Ministry of Defence. The available full cost figures for this facility are as follows :


£ million                          

           |1989-90|1990-91        

-----------------------------------

Total cost |2.3    |1.9

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Desert Storm Syndrome

Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the United States authorities on the subject of Desert Storm syndrome.

Mr. Hanley : There have been no such discussions.

Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will establish an investigation into the illness known as Desert Storm syndrome amongst members of the British armed forces who served in the Gulf conflict.

Mr. Hanley : The health of all service personnel is monitored as a matter of routine and regular medical checks are carried out. There is currently no evidence of members of the British armed forces who served in the Gulf conflict suffering from any unexplained symptoms which would call for such an investigation.

Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the British armed forces who served in the gulf war have reported sickness popularly known as Desert Storm syndrome ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Hanley : The armed forces medical services are not aware of any such reports being made by individual service patients. Nor are the armed forces medical services aware of changes in patterns of morbidity among the United Kingdom service population which would indicate the sickness popularly known as Desert Storm syndrome.

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