§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the estimated cost to the Ministry of Defence police of the extra policing of the military lands at Salisbury Plain for the month of June 1988;
(2) what is the estimated cost to the Ministry of Defence police of providing assistance to the Wiltshire constabulary to police lands in the vicinty of the military lands at Salisbury Plain for the month of June 1988; if any of this cost will be reimbursed by the Wiltshire constabulary; and if he will make a statement;
(3) on whose authority the decision to station extra Ministry of Defence police officers to Salisbury Plain in the month of June 1988 was taken; how many officers were involved in operations on Salisbury Plain in the month of June 1988; and under whose control were these officers.
§ Mr. SainsburyAdditional Ministry of Defence police were deployed to the Salisbury Plain area by the chief constable at the request of MOD (Army) in order to prevent interference with MOD access to and use of defence land and facilities in the period leading up to the celebration of the summer solstice at Stonehenge and its aftermath. A total of 66 officers were deployed from 20 May to 15 June, increased to a total of 318, including the316W operational support unit, from 16 to 23 June 1988, working 12-hour shifts throughout, under the operational command of the assistant chief constable, Western area, Ministry of Defence police.
The estimated extra cost of this deployment cannot be separately identified. Since the Ministry of Defence police presence was provided in the first instance to meet the requirements of my Department, it would not be appropriate to charge the Wiltshire constabulary for such assistance as was given to it.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence on whose authority the operational support group of the Ministry of Defence police was deployed with riot equipment on land not owned, used or operated by his Department on the morning of 21 June 1988.
§ Mr. SainsburyThe operational support unit of the Ministry of Defence police was deployed in the vicinity of Ministry of Defence land near Stonehenge on the morning of 21 June, with public order protective clothing and shields, on the authority of the chief constable, Ministry of Defence police, and responded to a request for assistance from the chief constable of the Wiltshire constabulary, in accordance with section 2(2)(d) of the MOD Police Act 1987.