§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the high priority tasks in United Kingdom waters assessed by the Hydrographic Study Group as requiring 36 ship-years of work for completion by 1982.
§ Mr. DuffySince 1974, eight ship-years have been devoted to the high priority tasks identified in home waters by the Hydrographic Study Group.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Defence when action will be taken, as recommended by the Hydrographic Study Group, to expand the survey fleet by adding four more coastal survey vessels and training the extra hydrographic personnel required to operate them.
§ Mr. DuffyI have nothing to add to the reply that I gave my hon. Friend on 21st March 1977—[Vol. 928, c.434.]
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Defence, in the light of current and planned deployment of up to four survey ships in Iranian waters and one on behalf of the Ministry of Overseas Development in West African waters, how many ship-years of work by ocean and coastal survey vessels can be allocated to the priority tasks assessed by the Hydrographic Study Group at home and overseas during the next three years, having regard to the down-time needed for ship maintenance.
§ Mr. DuffyThe overall demand on the capacity of the hydrographic fleet is being reviewed. I cannot at the moment specify how much effort can be allocated in the next three years to the tasks identiefid by the Hydrographic Study Group.
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§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the high priority tasks overseas assessed by the Hydrographic Study Group as requiring 34 ship-years of work for completion by 1985
§ Mr. DuffySince 1974 four ship-years have been devoted to the high priority tasks identified overseas by the Hydro-graphic Study Group.