§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for development of the Ministry of Defence firing range at Kirkcudbright; what costs are involved; what role SERCO currently plays in these processes and what plans he has for developing this; and what is the chain of responsibility for the operation and development of the range.
§ Mr. Neubert[holding answer 1 February 1990]: We have plans to modernise part of the Kirkcudbright firing range facility over the next few years. Essentially, modernisation will comprise a new range safety radar system and a facility in support of electromagnetic launcher technology. Key features will be the reliability and safety of the facility.
It is not our practice to reveal costs, since these are commercially sensitive.
SERCO currently provides 84 staff for the day-to-day running of the range and its activities, as the result of winning competitive contracts. It is this Government's policy that tasks should be carried out in the most cost-effective and efficient manner, and that contractors, selected by competition, should be used where it makes sense to do so.
The ranges are headed by a Lieutenant Colonel who is responsible to the director of the Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment (RARDE).