§ 19. Mr. ViggersTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the impact of the strategic defence review on the tri-service medical services. [49595]
§ 20. Mr. BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his plans for the Defence Medical Services. [49596]
§ Mr. George RobertsonThe Strategic Defence Review included measures to address current personnel and equipment shortfalls across all three Services as a matter of priority and to provide an acceptable level of medical support for deployed operations. These measures include recruiting approximately 250 hospital specialists, nurses, technicians and other personnel to bring the Defence Secondary Care Agency up to its manpower establishment.
As part of this major new initiative, we intend to enhance our arms control programme, including restoration of our 'Open Skies' air inspection capability; expand our Outreach and wider military assistance programmes, including greater use of attachments and short term training teams; revitalise our pool of defence attaches; and introduce new education and training initiatives, including a new defence diplomacy scholarship scheme. These measures will greatly enhance the British contribution to conflict prevention.