HC Deb 07 July 1988 vol 136 cc691-2W
Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide details of flights made by British fighter aircraft based in Belize outside the territorial area of that country in the past 12 months.

Mr. Ian Stewart

In the past 12 months, Harrier aircraft from Belize have been deployed outside that country only to practise arrangements for removing them from the danger area in the event of a hurricane.

Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contact has been made in the past 12 months between British military personnel in Belize and United States military personnel from southern command in Panama; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Ian Stewart

Visits were paid to Belize in February this year by Major General Loeffke, commanding general US Army, South; and in June by General Woerner, commander-in-chief, US Southern Command. Both visitors were briefed by British forces Belize as well as making calls elsewhere. These were courtesy visits of a routine nature. Observers from US Southern Command also regularly attend joint exercises between British forces and the Belize defence force.

£ million
Vote lSection Description 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91
Appropriations-in-Aid of:
1 AZ Naval personnel costs .2 .2 .2 .2 .2 .2
BZ Army personnel costs2
CZ Air Force personnel costs .6 .2 .1 .2 .2 .2
FZ Accommodation etc. stores 2.1 .9 2.1 1.0 1.0 1.0
GZ Clothing and victualling 3.0 3.0 3.4 3.4 3.5 3.6
HZ Liquid fuels and utilities 61.4 37.2 34.9 26.4 27.1 27.8
IZ Lands and buildings 15.7 16.5 18.6 18.3 18.8 19.3
JZ International activities 63.9 63.8 133.9 118.5 121.5 124.5
LZ Other services 44.9 40.4 46.0 46.0 47.2 48.4
Total Vote 1 191.8 162.2 239.2 214.0 219.5 225.0
2 CZ Other PE outstations costs 2.2 2.5 2.5 3.2 3.3 3.4
DZ Other procurement by contract 29.5 29.5 24.9 24.1 24.7 25.3
EZ Sea systems development by contract 1.7 2.1 2.3 4.2 4.3 4.4
FZ Sea systems production and repair 30.8 39.7 99.6 18.9 19.4 19.9
HZ Miscellaneous procurement 18.8 18.9 19.6 20.3 20.8 21.3
IZ Land systems development by contract 18.7 15.5 22.2 16.2 16.6 17.0
JZ Land systems production and repair 38.8 78.3 57.4 44.1 45.2 46.3
KZ Land systems maintenance 1.8 2.5 1.5 2.6 2.7 2.8
LZ Air systems development by contract 20.5 63.6 36.1 51.2 52.5 53.8
MZ Air systems production and repair 10.5 76.0 15.4 14.3 14.7 15.1
NZ Air systems package deal contracts2 .1 1.7 1.7 1.7
Total Vote 2 173.3 328.7 281.5 200.8 205.9 211.0
3 AZ Armed forces pensions .8 .7 .7 .7 .7 .7
4 AZ Defence works services 55.8 55.9 64.7 89.1 91.3 93.6
BZ Agency services for US forces in United Kingdom 115.2 143.6 180.7 165.1 169.2 173.4
Total Vote 4 171.0 199.5 245.4 254.2 260.5 267.0
5 AZ Ship refitting and repair .4 7.1 34.6 35.3 36.2 37.1

Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide details of the different categories of military personnel and equipment currently based in Belize.

Mr. Ian Stewart

The following units are currently based in Belize: an infantry battalion; an armoured reconnaissance troop equipped with Scorpion reconnaissance vehicles; an engineer squadron; a field artillery battery equipped with the 105 mm light gun; an Army Air Corps flight with Gazelle helicopters; RAF Belize equipped with Puma helicopters and Harriers; and half a RAF Regiment squadron with Rapier fire-units.