§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied that the air defence capability of Phantom aircraft is sufficient to prevent surprise attacks by Super Etendard aircraft on Her Majesty's ships in the Falkland Islands area.
§ Mr. BlakerI am confident that the Phantoms and other air defence systems deployed in the area can deal with the threat.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied with radar early warning capability in respect of Argentine aircraft approaching the Falkland Islands.
§ Mr. WigginYes.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence what extra costs will be incurred in maintaining British Forces in the Falkland Islands consequent on the recent sale of Exocet missiles by France to Argentina.
§ Mr. WigginNone.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the stock level of (a) small-arms and (b) artillery ammunition possessed by Her Majesty's Forces ashore on the Falkland Islands on the day of the Argentine surrender, expressed in rounds per man and rounds per weapon.
§ Mr. BlakerTo acquire this information in the form requested would require a disproportionate expenditure of time and effort, but I assure the hon. Member that ample stocks of ammunition were available to our forces on the Falkland Islands at the time of the Argentine surrender.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether substitute dry cleaning facilities have now been made available on the Falkland Islands to replace the arrangement obtaining before 3 April whereby all dry cleaning was air-freighted to Argentina.
§ Mr. WigginThere is no military requirement for dry cleaning facilities for the garrison on the Falkland Islands. Arrangements for the civil population are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
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§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment was made by Her Majesty's Government of the ability of the Argentine air force to deliver plutonium bombs to the Falklands area.
§ Mr. BlakerThe operational capabilities of all Argentine military forces have been carefully assessed, but we have no reason to believe that the Argentine air force, or indeed its navy or army, possesses nuclear weapons.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make airborne early warning available to the Falklands garrison.
§ Mr. BlakerAs my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence said on 22 November—[Vol. 32, c. 583]—we are confident that our garrison on the Falkland Islands has the necessary means, including early warning, and a range of air defence capabilities to ensure the continued protection of the Falkland Islands.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in achieving the aim announced by the military commissioner on the Falkland Islands of providing fixed roof accommodation for every Service man in the garrison by May 1983; what has been the cost so far; and what he estimates to be the total cost.
§ Mr. WigginHalf of the camps required are already under construction and it is expected that all will be completed by May 1983. In addition, a floating hotel is expected in Port Stanley in mid-December. On costs, I can add nothing further to my replies given to the hon. Member on 15 November 1982.—[Vol. 32, c.40–41.]
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied with the extent of shipborne early warning available to the Falklands garrison.
§ Mr. BlakerI have nothing to add to my answer today about the defensive capability of the Falkland Islands garrison.