§ Mr. David ShawTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has reached a decision on the future of the Royal Marines school of music at Deal.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonA review carried out during 1989 recommended, on financial and management grounds, that the Royal Marines school of music (RMSM) should be relocated from Deal to Whale island, Portsmouth. My right hon. Friend has considered this recommendation carefully but concluded that a decision should be postponed until such time as the longer-term requirement for the RM barracks at Deal has been clarified. The RMSM will therefore remain at Deal for the foreseeable future.