Defence Export Services Organisation

HC Deb 19 October 1989 vol 158 cc251-2W

Mr. Sillars

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons are employed by the Defence Export Services Organisation; and what is its total budget.

Mr. Alan Clark

Some 200 staff are employed within the Defence Export Services Organisation in support of defence exports and in the administration of export control regimes. Export promotion costs such as exhibition expenditure and the loan of personnel and equipment are self-financing, and the net cost to defence votes of the support to defence exports is of the order of £6 million. A further 50 staff within DESO are engaged in the disposal of surplus MOD equipment and stores which it is estimated will generate net receipts of some £23 million in the current financial year.