§ 6. Mr. Desmond Swayne (New Forest, West)What spare capacity there is within Army barracks. [41299]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. John Spellar)An overall estimate of the spare capacity in Army barracks could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Where spare capacity exists, we seek to reduce it wherever possible.
§ Mr. SwayneIn my experience, there is little spare capacity. Does the Minister therefore agree that the British Army of the Rhine is better left where it is?
§ Mr. SpellarThe hon. Gentleman knows that the location of forces is considered in the strategic defence review. That is under consideration by the Cabinet, and the outcome will be announced in a White Paper in due course.
§ Sir George Young (North-West Hampshire)Does not the exchange on this question and earlier ones underline the need to complete the strategic defence review as soon as possible? The Secretary of State sent it off to his colleagues at the end of March. If it is not Treasury-driven, as we are repeatedly assured, what is holding up publication, and when shall we see it?
§ Mr. SpellarAs the right hon. Gentleman knows from his own experience, those matters are being considered fully in the round. The strategic defence review is foreign-policy-driven: it is not driven by incremental salami slicing, like the previous Government's so-called reviews. The matters are being considered properly. It is not the back-of-an-envelope stuff designed to justify cuts that we saw from the previous Government.