§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the bases of the Royal Naval Reserve port diving branch, giving numbers of officers, qualified divers, trainees and other personnel at each base.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe present strength of Royal Naval Reserve bases with port divers is:
Officers Ratings HMS Calliope 77 (1) 202 (16) HMS Calpe 23(0) 67 (7) HMS Camperdown 102 (0) 129 (9) HMS Claverhouse 98 (1) 188 (16) HMS Eaglet 136 (2) 299 (25) HMS Flying Fox 138 (0) 213 (18) HMS Graham 95 (2) 213 (16) HMS President 234 (0) 234 (17) HMS Sussex 90(1) 150 (18) HMS Wessex 170 (2) 209 (11) The figures in brackets are those officers and ratings who are Royal Naval Reserve port divers; each unit has two or three trainees at any time.
§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the police forces and other public services which have received assistance from Royal Naval Reserve port divers during the last five years.
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§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThis information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the distinction between the training, role and costs of the different diving branches of the Royal Naval Reserve.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonMy noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the plans for the future of the Royal Naval Reserve port diving branch, and on the implications of those plans for Royal Navy regular diving units.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonI refer the hon. Member to the answer that he received from my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement on 21 October at column446. There are no implications for the Royal Navy regular diving units.