§ Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the complement, gender and ethnic balance of the Operational Support Unit of the Ministry of Defence Police is; what the OSU' s annual running costs are for the current financial year; if he plans to increase the budget for running costs for 2002–03; if he will make a statement on the base of the OSU; and what changes are planned in these arrangements. [28587]
§ Dr. MoonieThe complement (as at 1 January 2002) of the Operational Support Unit was 50 and the strength 45, which included six female officers and one member of an ethnic minority. The budget allocated for the OSU, for the current financial year, is £2.651 million. While there are no plans to relocate the OSU based at MDP Wethersfield, approval has been given to form a second OSU (of 50 personnel) based at a location in the north of England.