§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the garrisons or other forms of military presence that his Department provided in Britain's overseas territories at(a) July 1998 and (b) April 2002, stating in each case the territory and the number of armed forces personnel; and if he will make a statement. [51260]
§ Mr. IngramWe maintain Overseas Commands in Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands, and the UK Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus, a naval party in the British Indian Ocean Territory and an RAF station on Ascension Island. Until March 2001 we maintained a small military detachment on South Georgia. Small numbers of service personnel are occasionally stationed in other overseas territories. Full details are as follows:
Territory July 1998 April 2002 Ascension Island 23 25 Bermuda 1 2 British Antarctic Territory 3 3 British Indian Ocean Territory 40 40 Falkland Islands1 21,500 21,300 Gibraltar3 2800 2755 South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands 15 0 Sovereign Base Areas Cyprus 23,260 23,230 Turks and Caicos Islands 4 0 1 Figures for the Falkland Islands exclude the Falklands Guardship. 2 Approximate figure 3 Figures for Gibraltar include the Territorial Army element of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment.