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Royal Hospital, Haslar
6. Mr. Peter Viggers (Gosport): How many representations he has received on the future of the Royal hospital, Haslar. [86535]
The Minister for the Armed Forces (Mr. Doug Henderson): Since 14 December 1998, my Department has received about 500 representations on the future of the Royal hospital, Haslar. That figure includes letters and petitions from hon. Members and members of the public. Together with my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, I have also had a meeting on the subject with the hon. Gentleman, as well as with my hon. Friend Member for Portsmouth, North (Mr. Rapson), the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock) and the right hon. Member for Fareham (Sir P. Lloyd), plus local representatives.
Mr. Viggers: But I wonder whether the Minister is being well advised on this subject. Members of the defence medical services will of course do their duty, but I would not be doing mine if I did not point out that there is a widespread and profound view in those services that the closure of the last remaining military hospital will result in a loss of skilled personnel that will take a decade or more to reverse. He has said that there is no plan to review that decision, but the only way ahead for civilian and military personnel in the Gosport peninsula is a reversal of that decision. The failure to review the decision is looking less like courageous determination and more like obstinacy.
Mr. Henderson: I recognise the hon. Gentleman's commitment to the provision of medical services, for both the civilian and military population in Gosport, and that of those who joined him in making representations to the Department. I am sure that he will also recognise that among those people and the medical staff at Haslar there was a widespread recognition that matters could not continue as they had in the past. The facilities that were necessary to advance medicine for the military and civilian sides were not in place and we were not able to recruit the right number of energetic young people to medical provision in the services. That was one of the reasons why the review that we announced recently included the opening of a new centre for defence medicine.
I can tell the hon. Gentleman and the House that seven NHS trusts have now been shortlisted to tender for the new centre for defence medicine. They are all strong candidates and will be invited to make the formal tenders in a few weeks' time, with a decision being made in December. The trusts are the Lothian University Hospital trust, Edinburgh; North Bristol NHS trust; Guy's and St. Thomas's Hospital NHS trust; Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals; Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS trust; the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS trust; and University Hospital Birmingham NHS trust.
Madam Speaker:
Order. I remind the Minister that this is a specific question.
Mrs. Linda Gilroy (Plymouth, Sutton):
Given the appalling neglect under the previous Government of the defence medical services, and given the £140 million extra expenditure planned for four years, does my hon. Friend agree that the defence medical services, including those at Plymouth Derriford hospital, are safe only in the hands of a Labour Government?
Mr. Henderson:
I believe that there needs to be a hard look at how we can make better medical provision for our military personnel. That is why that additional resource has been earmarked for that investment in the years ahead.
Royal Ordnance, Bishopton
7. Dr. Norman A. Godman (Greenock and Inverclyde): What recent representations he has received concerning the present circumstances and future prospects of Royal Ordnance, Bishopton. [86536]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. John Spellar): In addition to the representations concerning Royal Ordnance, Bishopton made personally by my hon. Friend and the recent inquiry by the Defence Select Committee, Ministers have answered questions in this House and received letters from hon. Members, representatives of the trade unions and members of the public, including employees of Royal Ordnance. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence met a delegation from the trade unions at RO Bishopton earlier this year, and my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement met a similar delegation last year.
Dr. Godman: Might I offer my compliments to my hon. Friend and his colleagues for the positive response that they have made to the Defence Committee's report on the Royal Ordnance plans? There is now a real prospect of a constructive and stable relationship between the Ministry of Defence and the RO and the possibility of a link with Rheinmetall of Germany. Does my hon. Friend agree that the time is now right for British Aerospace to be equally positive in its response by, among other things, reprieving RO Bishopton?
Mr. Spellar: I thank my hon. Friend for that question and for his representations during the discussions on the issue. We are pleased that discussions between MOD officials and RO management on the company's future prospects are nearing completion. We are considering the possibility of a long-term strategic partnering arrangement, which would see the company becoming the preferred MOD supplier for certain types of ammunition. Recommendations on that are expected to come before Ministers shortly.
Mr. Robert Key (Salisbury): In joining in congratulating our forces on their professionalism in Kosovo and in thanking their families, I would add the 400,000 individuals employed in the defence industries in this country and the scientific and industrial civil servants who have supported our forces in the background. However, it is a bit hollow for the work force at Bishopton to hear that. Now that the Government have decided that they will no longer buy British ammunition for British forces, will war stocks of ammunition be adjusted upwards to reflect the inevitable reduction in security of supply?
Mr. Spellar: That is not a new policy. The hon. Gentleman should reflect on the policy of previous Administrations.
The more constructive part of the hon. Gentleman's question had to do with the policy on war stocks. Our policy is to maintain ammunition war stocks at a level commensurate with short-warning conflict. In the event of conflict on a larger scale, there should be sufficient warning time to procure ammunition from domestic or overseas sources or manufacturers. Equally significantly, ammunition stockpile holdings are under review following the strategic defence review. Obviously, any lessons from recent conflicts will be incorporated into that study.
Kosovo
11. Ms Rachel Squire (Dunfermline, West): If he will make a statement on the current security situation in Kosovo. [86541]
The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. George Robertson): As at 18 June, some 18,000 KFOR troops had deployed to Kosovo. KFOR has been successful in maintaining a large measure of stability in very difficult circumstances.
Ms Squire: Will my right hon. Friend join me in warmly welcoming the agreement reached with the Kosovo Liberation Army on disarmament, and in paying tribute to all involved? Does he agree that that is a very significant step towards creating a peaceful and stable Kosovo, and that a vital part of any peace-building process is enforcement in a consistent and even-handed manner for all groups and individuals threatening violence? Does he further agree that, once again, the British armed forces have surpassed themselves and demonstrated why they have an international reputation for dealing evenly and justly with all those involved in a potential conflict?
Mr. Robertson: My hon. Friend is right, and her words will be heard with great respect, including in theatre. The necessity to act even-handedly and impartially is absolutely critical if Kosovo is not to suffer another exodus, which might be smaller but would be equally sad. General Sir Mike Jackson made it absolutely clear on his first day in Kosovo that he would act with firmness and determination, but even-handedly. I believe that that message is getting through.
Mr. Jonathan Sayeed (Mid-Bedfordshire): Some 13,000 British troops will be used to maintain the security of Kosovo. Will the Secretary of State confirm that that will mean that almost 90 per cent. of land command personnel will either be committed to operations, or warned to deploy on operations? In those circumstances, what will the right hon. Gentleman do about overstretch and about the retention of personnel? Such a large number of Army personnel committed to unaccompanied operations overseas means that we will be losing troops because their families will not stand for it.
Mr. Robertson: In many ways, I have answered that question already. I have underlined how important families are. I hold strongly in my mind the principle "recruit a soldier, retain a family", as does my hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces. At the moment, the total number of British troops committed to Kosovo is 13,000, and I expect a significant reduction after about six months.
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