§ Mr. Duncan SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many helicopters his Department has offered for use in Mozambique to the Department for International Development; what financial charge he has made in respect of this offer to the Department for International Development; and what other offers of assistance his Department has made to the Department for International Development. [113460]
§ Mr. Spellar[holding answer 7 March 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Cynon Valley (Ann Clwyd) on 8 March 2000, Official Report, column 710W and my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) on 8 March 2000, Official Report, column 710W with regard to how many helicopters my Department has offered and the financial charge to the Department for International Development.
MOD officials discussed with their colleagues in the Department for International Development the additional option of deploying a small number of Royal Marines and their equipment to Mozambique. Since large numbers of boats and boat handlers were already due to arrive in Mozambique, the Department for International Development did not pursue this offer.