§ Lady Olga MaitlandTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to provide phone cards for British troops serving with the United Nations peacekeep-ing force in Cyprus.
§ Mr. HanleyAll United Kingdom service personnel deployed in Cyprus receive a local overseas allowance to compensate them for the additional cost of living in that country. The allowance, which is the same for personnel under United Kingdom and United Nations command, contains an element to enable personnel to maintain telephone contact with the United Kingdom.
The only areas of deployment in which service personnel currently receive a telephone allowance are Northern Ireland and the former Yugoslavia. Neither of these attracts an overseas allowance, but in recognition of the particularly difficult and dangerous circumstances a telephone allowance is given.
There are no plans to change the current position.