§ Mr. Shersbyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report the names of the bases maintained by the British Antarctic Survey in the British Antarctic Territory, together with the number of persons engaged in works at each base and the nature of the work involved; and if he will give details of the normal length of service of those working in the bases.
§ Mr. William SheltonThe British Antarctic Survey's bases in the British Antarctic Territory are as follows
Signy Island, concerned with marine, freshwater and terrestrial biology: up to 24 staff including 9 scientists in winter and 17 in summer, and normally 5 support staff (7 in 1981 because of a modernisation programme).Faraday on Galinde Island, concerned with meteorology, solar radiation, ozone, geomagnetism, ionospheric physics, seismology, glaciology and tides: up to 18 staff, including 8 scientists in winter and 12 in summer, and normally 5 support staff (6 in 1981 because of a modernisation programme).Rothera on Adelaide Island, concerned with geology, geophysics glaciology, and meteorology: up to 40 staff, including 2 scientists in winter and 19 in summer, 11 support staff in winter and 21 in summer.Halley, Coats Land (on a moving ice shelt), concerned with meteorology, solar radiation, ozone, geomagnetism, ionospheric physics, VLF studies and glaciology: up to 20 staff including 10 scientists and 7 support staff.The suport staff include radio operators, diesel mechanics, cooks, electricians, builders, medical officers, tractor mechanics, mountaineers, general assistants. Medical officers also undertake research programmes in environmental medicine.317WThe normal tour of duty for staff whose duties require them to winter is approximately two and a half years including travelling time in both directions. However, medical officers serve only for one winter and this involves an absence of about 18 months from the United Kingdom. Some staff, including most earth scientists, are employed to carry out work only during the antarctic summer: their tour of overseas duty is eight and a half to nine months.The British Antarctic Survey also maintains two stations in the Falkland Islands Dependencies (South Georgia).