Mr. O'NeillTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the approximate number of battle casualty reinforcements attached to the 1 Armoured Division during Operation Granby.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonIt is not our policy to give details of operational contingency plans.
Mr. O'NeillTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether the operational ability of those forces deployed with RAF Germany which were not deployed to the Gulf declined or increased during the course of Operation Granby;
(2) whether the supply of spare parts for Tornado and Jaguar aircraft and Puma and Chinook helicopters deployed with the RAF in Germany altered as a result of the deployment of RAF forces to the Gulf as part of Operation Granby;
(3) pursuant to his answer of 28 November 1990 to the hon. Member for Rhondda (Mr. Rogers), what was the approximate degree of the adverse effect on BAOR forces that remained in Germany during Operation Granby resulting from the decision to deploy the 1 Armoured Division to the Gulf;
(4) pursuant to his answer of 28 November 1990 to the hon. Member for Rhondda, what was the approximate degree of the consequential effects on the spares position in BAOR resulting from the deployment of 1 Armoured Division to the Gulf.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe Army and RAF units which deployed on Operation Granby were given priority in terms of equipment, including spares, and personnel. This had some effect on the operational availablility or readiness of forces which remained in Germany and on certain spares holdings, but it is not our practice to comment in detail on such matters.