HC Deb 12 March 1980 vol 980 c578W
Mr. Marland

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will examine the possibility of getting the Royal Engineers to erect a temporary bridge over the M50 at Kempley, Gloucestershire.

Mr. Hayhoe

Under the scheme for military assistance to the civil community, the Services can respond to requests for assistance from local authorities and other civilian organisations. Normally the costs of such assistance must be recovered and such help will only be provided where the task has military training value and is not to the detriment of a unit's operational commitments. No formal request for assistance has been received from the Gloucester county council, but after investigating this case I do not believe that military assistance would be appropriate.