§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why the Secretary of State for Defence is proposing to vacate parts of the Royal Naval College at Greenwich: what advice is available to him in coming to a decision, whether any comprehensive cost benefit analysis (not excluding the long-term solution of problems associated with the presence in the college of a nuclear reactor) was conducted, and if it showed that the taxpayer, and not only the defence budget, would benefit from this decision.
§ Lord HenleyAs the Secretary of State for Defence announced on 8 December last year, we propose to form a tri-Service Command and Staff College at Camberley and that the staff training conducted at present at Greenwich and Bracknell should cease. At the same time it was announced that consideration was being given to ensuring that fitting occupants are found to replace those who would leave the Royal Naval College buildings under this proposal. We are now considering a number of potential candidates and hope to be able to make an announcement in the near future. The background to this proposal, the rationale for it and the supporting investment appraisal are contained in the consultative document on the Joint Service Command and Staff College, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.