§ Sir Alan GlynTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure that the precautions provided for residents whose houses are in the vicinity of military installations, such as the Victoria barracks, Windsor, are satisfactory in view of the recent terrorist attacks.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe responsibility for countering the threat of terrorist attacks at large lies with the police and is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary. At a local level, the Ministry of Defence co-operates closely with police forces in order to maintain the security both of its establishments and of its personnel. We are putting in place a major package of enhanced security measures and are constantly looking at ways to improve security further. I appreciate that my hon. Friend is concerned for the security of his constituents. By reducing the likelihood of an attack, our security improvements benefit both those who work or live in a defence establishment, and those who live nearby. Awareness of the risk and personal vigilance is a key 91W element in security; members of the public who see unusual or suspicious activity should report it to their local police as soon as possible.