HC Deb 13 February 1989 vol 147 cc52-3W
Mr. Sean Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average amount of time spent by each British Army of the Rhine infantry battalion on(a) battalion level training and (b) company level training in each year since 1980.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 17 January 1989, at columns131–32. It is not possible to provide the detailed information requested for years prior to 1987 except at disproportionate cost. Such figures are, however, unlikely to differ significantly from those for 1987.

Mr. Sean Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average amount of time spent by each British Army of the Rhine armoured regiment on(a) regimental training and (b) squadron/troop training in each year since 1980.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to him on 17 January 1989, at column132. It is not possible to provide the detailed information requested for years prior to 1987 except at disproportionate cost. Such figures however, are unlikely to differ significantly from those for 1987.

Mr. Sean Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average number of miles travelled annually by each British Army of the Rhine vehicle during training in each year since 1979.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

It is not possible to derive the information requested from existing records.

Mr. Sean Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average amount of fuel consumed annually by each British Army of the Rhine vehicle during training in each year since 1979.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

It is not possible to identify fuel consumed specifically during training. The figures detailing the total British Army of the Rhine fuel consumption for all types of vehicles by financial year are as follows:

Financial year Cubic Meters
1979–80 70,213
1980–81 64,422
1981–82 64,674
1982–83 68,839
1983–84 69,169
1984–85 175,735
1985–86 68,400
1986–87 66,768
1987–88 67,720
1 The major reinforcement exercise, exercise Lionheart, was held during this financial year.

Mr. Sean Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average amount of training ammunition used annually by(a) British Army of the Rhine infantry battalions and (b) British Army of the Rhine armoured regiments in each year since 1979.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.