§ Mr. DunnTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to rationalise defence activities in Gibraltar; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonFinal decisions on the scale of the future MOD involvement in Gibraltar have yet to be taken. It is, however, the intention to make savings of the order of 30 per cent. of manpower and expenditure during the next five years while at the same time reducing the landholding to 50 per cent. of that held in 1990. The main thrust of this will affect the Royal Air Force and it is the intention to have completed the contractorisation of many of the functions currently carried out by the RAF—including the running of the airfield—before the spring of 1995. There will also be some restructuring of the Royal Navy. In the light of the recent reorganisation of the land forces and the resultant expansion of the Gibraltar Regiment it is not planned to make any further major changes to its organisation, although some of its functions will be adjusted to mirror the changes in the other two services and the civilian work force.