HC Deb 20 December 1994 vol 251 cc1189-90W
Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the disposal of the assets and good will of International Military Services Ltd. is now complete; and to whom those assets and good will were passed.

Mr. Freeman

Although International Military Services Ltd. ceased trading on 31 July 1991, not all its residual obligations have yet been met. Disposal of its assets will not be dealt with until the company is finally wound up.

Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether reinforced bunkers built to designs supplied by International Military Services Ltd. are still in service in Iraq.

Mr. Freeman

No operational bunkers were supplied or designed by International Military Services Ltd. for Iraq.

Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the arrangements for supervision of International Military Services in 1987; what considerations had led to them; and how they were subsequently revised.

Mr. Freeman

When ownership of IMS was assumed by the Ministry of Defence in 1979, the Department laid down rigorous policy guidelines for the company, setting out the nature of the business it could undertake and the degree of MOD supervision required. The company was obliged to seek the Department's approval before initiating business in new markets, or which involved novel features or was significantly different from previous business. In 1989, IMS was required to cease trading by 1991.

Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 29 November 1993,Official Report, column 365, to which agencies or departments of Government the employees of IMS Ltd. were transferred in the years 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991.

Mr. Freeman

There have been no staff transfer arrangements for the years quoted between IMS Ltd. and my Department or its agencies.

Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the IMS Ltd. branch in Tehran was closed; and to which agency or agencies of Government its responsibilities were transferred.

Mr. Freeman

The Tehran office remains a registered office of IMS Ltd. None of its responsibilities has been transferred to my Department or its agencies.