HC Deb 30 October 1996 vol 284 cc174-5W
Ms Glenda Jackson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of merchant vessels chartered for use in military exercises or operations involving United Kingdom forces, the flag nationality of those vessels, and the total cost of these charters, over the past five years. [1029]

Mr. Soames

During the past five years—1992 to September 1996—143 vessels have been chartered for exercise/operations. These were:

Nationality Number
Danish 49
German 18
Norwegian 16
Swedish 12
Spanish 7
Ukrainian 6
Maltese 5
Swiss 4
Panamanian 3
Bahamian 3
Finnish 3
Nationality Number
Italian 3
Dutch 2
Greek 2
Luxembourg 2
Polish 2
French 1
Swiss 1
Cypriot 1
Dutch 1
Liberian 1
British 1

The total cost of chartering these vessels was £42,816,794.