§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the use of freephone and freepost facilities currently being operated by his Department; how much these facilities are costing; for what purposes these facilities are being used; and how much his Department has spent on operating freephone and freepost facilities in each financial year since 1979.
§ Mr. HanleyFreephone facilities are not at present operated by my Department.
A freepost address is used by the armed forces to enable potential recruits to respond to regular and reservist recruitment campaigns. The cost of this service could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The forces aerogramme can be posted free of charge to and from service personnel serving in designated operational areas and their next of kin. Since 1986, the 519W annual cost of this facility has been some £220,000. Earlier financial information is not available. During the Gulf crisis, this figure rose to £1,400,000. The most recent figure available, for the financial year 1992–93, is £262,000 reflecting increased usage as a result of operations in the former Yugoslavia.