§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military personnel there were, for each year since 1979, in each of the armed services operating in and from the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. HanleyThe numbers of United Kingdom regular forces and Gurkhas stationed in the United Kingdom (as at 1 July 1993) were as follows:
§ Mr. HanleySince 1985, following a detailed examination of noise created by military aircraft, it has been my Department's policy to offer sound insulation grants to the owners/occupiers of houses in the vicinity of operational airfields which fall within certain scientifically defined noise contours. In cases where noise exceeds a higher level, the Department may offer to acquire the particular property concerned. There is also scope to provide compensation for the depreciation in value of property resulting from the bringing into use of new public works.
The Department's compensation scheme is a voluntary one but follows closely statutory schemes of the Department of Transport at civil airports.
To date, more than 30 such schemes have been introduced; these are reviewed at five-yearly intervals unless operational changes are such that an earlier review is warranted.