HC Deb 07 February 1985 vol 72 cc677-8W
Mr. Cohen

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Leyton of 29 January, if he will give a breakdown of the increased level of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation infrastructure funding agreed by North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Defence Ministers in December 1984; and if he will give details of the subjects to be covered by the Northern Atlantic Treaty Organisation studies aimed at producing early proposals for improvements to conventional defence.

Mr. Stanley

The funds approved in December 1984 by NATO Defence Ministers for infrastructure will be broken down into six annual programmes to be authorised in the years 1985 to 1990 inclusive. These programmes will include work services items such as airfield facilities and protection, naval base facilities and ammunition storage sites, and equipment such as communications, radar, and command, control and information systems. The precise programme content and project locations, which will range through the member countries of the Alliance, will be determined according to NATO's military priorities. The United Kingdom will contribute about 12 per cent. of the funding. On improvements to conventional defence, I refer the hon. Member to paragraph 8 of the communiqué issued at the end of the Defence Planning Committee meeting in December 1984, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.