§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records are kept in respect of articles lost or stolen whose value is less than(a) £150,000, (b) £100,000 and (c) £50,000. [16674]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotAll losses must be thoroughly investigated by the unit concerned and a full and factual record made. Losses under £100,000 value are reported as a total sum; those over £100,000 are reported individually.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost of the items that have gone missing without explanation in each of the past three years; and what were the five most valuable items in each service in each year. [16675]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotLosses are reported individually only where the value exceeds £100,000. Unexplained losses over £100,000 during the last three financial years were as follows: 717W
Value £ 1993–94 No cases 1994–95 1. Thermal imager lost in transit 118,000 2. Consignment of 3 in rockets lost in transit 104,000 1995–96 1. Radar receiver lost in transit 130,000 2. One kit printed circuit lost in transit 164,000 3. 12 Harrier forward relay panels lost in transit 115,000 All losses were thoroughly investigated with a view to recovering the item in question and preventing a recurrence. When the search proved unsuccessful, the items in question were written off and noted in the relevant appropriation account.