§ Mr. Charles KennedyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his letter to the hon. Member for Ross, Cromarty and Skye concerning the future of the British underwater test and evaluation centre range at Kyle of Lochalsh, Ross-shire, if he will clarify what role he envisages for the base facilities and its functions beyond the five-year period indicated; whether a management staff tender for those functions being tested in the market will have preparatory professional advice and support available to it from within his Department; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AitkenI have written to the hon. Member for Ross, Cromarty and Skye to advise him that a recent study has recommended that the operation at the British underwater test and evaluation centre (BUTEC), at the Kyle of Lochalsh, will be market-tested in accordance with stated policy to examine ways of improving efficiency and value for money throughout the Government. Many of the activities of the range are already managed by industry, and the new initiative will mainly affect the afloat services546W (boats and crews) currently provided by the chief executive (Marine Services) of the Ministry of Defence. In-house bids will be encouraged and, within the constraints of Government policy, professional advice and support will be made available to the chief executive (Marine Services) for him to construct an in-house bid. The future of the base beyond the five-year period addressed by the market-testing exercise will have to be determined nearer the time, and will depend on the defence requirement as then identified. However, we expect that the need to test and evaluate torpedoes and other underwater systems will continue for the foreseeable future.