§ 12. Mr. RendelTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to reduce the number of Ministry of Defence policemen and policewomen. [821]
§ Mr. SoamesThe overall manpower requirements for Ministry of Defence police are kept under constant review. We will shortly be issuing consultative documents concerning our proposals for future defence police and guarding requirements.
§ Mr. RendelDoes the Minister agree that security at sites such as Aldermaston and Burghfield which have nuclear materials is so important that it would be a bad mistake to reduce the number of MOD police at the sites or to replace them with other less well-trained or less highly skilled personnel?
§ Mr. SoamesClearly the hon. Gentleman is right: the policing and guarding of those sites are extremely important. Quite properly, the Government have examined whether there is scope for reducing costs without in any sense reducing essential standards. The safety and security of personnel and the establishments and the effectiveness of our operations have remained and will remain our primary objective.
§ Mr. KeyMy hon. Friend knows that scores of MOD police work in my constituency, and he has already expressed his support for the work that they do. Will he undertake as swiftly as possible the review that he mentioned? The MOD police have been faced with 1048 reviews of one sort or another for some years, and that is bad for morale and unfair to the families of those involved.
§ Mr. SoamesMy hon. Friend is a doughty champion of all the defence establishments and personnel in his constituency. I agree that the MOD police fulfil a very important role, but they are—I have to say—extremely expensive. We must therefore examine carefully where we need the MOD police to exercise constabulary powers and where we do not need people of such superior quality. I agree that we need to get that news into the public domain as soon as possible, and my hon. Friend has my assurance that that will happen. As he knows, there are some complex issues to be resolved.
§ Mr. FoulkesIs the Minister aware that the MOD police who monitor low flying using Sky Guard are doing a very good job? But does he realise that there is far too much low flying in the borders area? The number of low-flying sorties in the borders is on the way up, whereas in the country as a whole it has fallen by 30 per cent. Is he aware that an all-party delegation—including the right hon. Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro)—saw the Under-Secretary of State for Defence, and that we were absolutely furious at the lack of action from the Ministry of Defence on the matter? Will the Minister, who I know is a man of honour, give a personal pledge that there will be a review of low flying so that the borders tactical training area gets no more than its fair share?
§ Mr. SoamesThe hon. Gentleman managed to turn a question about the Ministry of Defence police into one about low flying, which was clever even by his standards. I shall give no such undertaking at this Dispatch Box. I acknowledge the important meeting that he had with my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary, and I am aware of the concerns in the borders. I can report to the hon. Gentleman that the MOD police hugely enjoyed his visit to Sky Guard.
§ Sir Michael ShersbyDoes my hon. Friend agree that the MOD police are a splendid body of men and women whose skill and professionalism are renowned? Does he also agree that they are able to give civilian back-up wherever that is required? Will he take that into account during his review?
§ Mr. SoamesMy hon. Friend speaks with a good deal of specialist knowledge. He is right to say that they are a fine body of men and women, and we are fortunate to have them on the strength. We are very much aware of the important role that they can play in a civilian capacity in backing up the civilian police. My hon. Friend can rest assured that we will liaise with the civilian police and the civilian police authorities as we come to our conclusions on this complex matter.