North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

HC Deb 02 July 1958 vol 590 cc89-90W

85. Sir A. V. Harvey

asked the Minister of Defence to make a statement on the present and future rôle of Coastal Command; and to what extent it co-operates with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces.

Mr. Sandys

The primary rôle of Coastal Command consists of operations against submarines and surface ships; its rôle also embraces air-sea rescue, ocean search, photographic and meteorological reconnaissance, and air transport operations.

It has been assigned its appropriate part in N.A.T.O. defence plans, and would in war be included in the forces of the Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic and the Joint Allied Naval and Air Commanders in the Channel.

86. Mr. Strachey

asked the Minister of Defence to what extent the United Kingdom is taking part in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Maintenance Supply Services System; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. Sandys

Great Britain is taking part in the arrangements for establishing the N.A.T.O. Maintenance Supply Services System, the purpose of which is to assist, by co-operative action, in ensuring the availability of spare parts needed for the efficient maintenance of equipment in service with the armed forces of N.A.T.O. member countries. The Government have nominated a member of the Board of Directors of the N.A.T.O. Spare Parts Agency, which will be responsible for organising and running the system, and have agreed to contribute towards the administrative expenses of the agency until it has become financially self-supporting.

87. Mr. Strachey

asked the Minister of Defence to make a statement on the progress made by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Standardisation Agency.

Mr. Sandys

The Military Agency for Standardisation, which has been in existence for seven years, has now issued some 360 standardisation agreements, which are binding on the member countries of N.A.T.O. About half of the agreements are concerned with operational and administrative procedures; the rest deal with standardisation of supplies and materials, notably fuels and component parts of military equipment. A further 200 draft agreements are at present in course of preparation.