HC Deb 23 March 1994 vol 240 c338W
Dr. David Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what sections of(a) the Army, (b) the Navy and (c) the Air Force are responsible for (i) third-line repairs and (ii) fourth-line repairs; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Hanley

Responsibility for third and fourth-line repairs within the services lies with the following:

(a) The Chief of Fleet Support is responsible overall within the Navy. Third line—generally docking and essential defect work—ship repair work is normally undertaken by the Fleet Maintenance and Repair Organisation at Portsmouth, the royal dockyards at Devonport and Rosyth, or sub-contractors. Fourth-line ship repair—refit work—is carried out by the royal dockyards or by the equipment manufacturers.

CFS is also responsible on a tri-service basis for third and fourth-line repair work undertaken on helicopters either by the Department's own workshops or in industry. Work is also undertaken on equipment such as vehicles and armaments either within the Department's own workshops, third line, or by industry, fourth line.

(b) The director general of equipment support, Army, is responsible for advising on the allocation of work, normally through the Army Base Repair Organisation, a Defence agency which provides third and fourth-line support to the Army both through its own engineering workshops and through industry.

(c) The director general of support management, RAF, is responsible for the allocation of work, and the raising of requisitions for contracts with industry.

Third-line repair work is carried out by the Maintenance Group Defence Agency, whose chief executive is the AOC maintenance units, headquarters RAF support command. Fouth-line repair work is carried out by industry.

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