Joint Service Command and Staff College

HC Deb 02 May 1996 vol 276 c579W

Mr. Anthony Coombs

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the outcome of the consultation process regarding the interim arrangements for the Joint Service Command and Staff college; and if he will make a statement. [28292]

Mr. Soames

The consultation process on the interim arrangements for the Joint Service command and Staff college has been completed. A number of responses have been received, but none raised any new or major issues that might call the proposals into question. Those issues that were raised will be taken carefully into account in future work.

This work remains on schedule for the new Joint Service Command and Staff college to open at Bracknell in September 1997 and immediate next steps include formal planning consultation with the local authority. In the longer term it remains our intention to dispose of the Bracknell site by the end of 1999, by which time the new college should be well established at its permanent site.