§ Mr. Ridleyasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the saving in manning costs involved in concentrating the Army's vehicle depots on Hilton and Marchington.
§ Mr. Robert C. BrownApproximately £900,000 per annum.
§ Mr. Ridleyasked the Secretary of State for Defence what would be the capital cost (a) of improving Hilton and Marchington facilities to provide the Army's only central vehicle depot, including the costs of closing Ludgershall and Ash-church and (b) of expanding Ashchurch for the same purposes.
§ Mr. Robert C. BrownCurrent broad estimates indicate that the creation of the proposed Hilton-Marchington Vehicle Depot complex would entail capital costs of the order of £2 million. The capital costs of closing Ludgershall and Ashchurch are likely to be minor. The cost of redundancy payments cannot be reliably estimated at this stage since any rundown would be achieved over a 305W period. Against these costs have to be set considerable savings in planned works services at all existing vehicle depots, manning cost reductions and receipts from site disposals. Detailed estimates for the expansion of Ashchurch are not available.