§ Mr. MartlewTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what orders have been given for yachts for sailing clubs in(a) the Army, (b) the Royal Navy and (c) the Royal Air Force; if he will list in each case the type of yacht, its cost, where the order has been placed and when the yacht will be in service; and if he will make a statement;
(2) how many sailing clubs operate in (a) the Army, (b) the Royal Navy and (c) the Royal Air Force; what were the annual running costs for each over the last three years and the estimates for 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonAll sailing clubs in the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force are private clubs run for the benefit of their members. In the Army there are 62 such clubs in the United Kingdom and abroad ranging from windsurfing through dinghy to offshore sailing. A similar situation applies in the Royal Navy and the RAF, but information on the numbers of clubs is not readily available. Clubs purchase their yachts using their own non-public funds. It would not be appropriate for me to provide information on these private transactions or on the running costs and estimates of these clubs.