Defence Personnel (Hansard, 10 May 1994)

§ 9. Mr. Bennett
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how soon he expects to announce the results of his review of defence personnel.

§ Mr. Rifkind
The independent review of service career and manpower structures and terms and conditions of service is required to report to me within 12 months of its starting work.

§ Mr. Bennett
Does the Secretary of State accept that it is no good carrying out reviews of personnel, equipment and other things until the Government have carried out a full review of what our defence commitments ought to be and that such surveys will have no credibility unless we know what our defence forces are expected to do?

§ Mr. Rifkind
We already know exactly what our defence forces are required to do; it is something to which the Government give their total commitment. Unlike the Opposition, we do not intend to contemplate further reductions in our fighting capability.

§ Mr. John Townend
Does my right hon. and learned Friend accept that there will be considerable support among those on the Conservative Benches for significant reductions in the number of civil servants at the Ministry of Defence? Many of us have thought in previous years that, when there have been almost as many civil servants as soldiers, we had got the balance wrong.

§ Mr. Rifkind
I assure my hon. Friend that the defence costs study is considering civilian manpower as well as uniformed personnel. Clear evidence is emerging of considerable scope for further improvements in that sphere.

§ Mr. Martlew
May I ask about the future employment prospects of the work force at RAF Carlisle and RAF Quedgeley? The Minister of State for the Armed Forces has said three times that there needs to be a reduction of £85 million over 10 years in the budget of the equipment supply depot. The work force at RAF Carlisle has given him proposals that will save £85 million. Is the target still £85 million, or has the Minister moved the goalposts? Will he confirm that there will be an announcement on the future of RAF Carlisle and RAF Quedgeley next week?

§ Mr. Rifkind
As the hon. Gentleman is aware, the Minister of State for the Armed Forces recently visited 147 RAF Carlisle. We are evaluating the various representations that have been made in response to the announcement made earlier this year, and we shall make a further announcement in due course.