HC Deb 11 July 1997 vol 297 cc631-2W
Mr. Key

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the role of the Defence Committee in the Strategic Defence Review. [6665]

Dr. Reid

The role of the Defence Select Committee is to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Ministry of Defence. In this context, I expect the Defence Select Committee, once established, to take a constructive and close interest as the Review progresses.

Mr. Key

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of his Department's(a) military and (b) civilian employees in Northern Ireland, indicating those whose function will be covered by the Strategic Defence Review. [6753]

Dr. Reid

As at 1 April 1997 there were:

  1. (a) 11,822 members of the Regular Forces plus 2,818 Home Service full-time and 2,006 Home Service part-time members of the Royal Irish Regiment.
  2. (b) 3,184 MOD civilian employees

in Northern Ireland. The Strategic Defence review will cover all aspects of how our Armed Forces should be structured, equipped and deployed. It is too soon to comment on particular issues.

Sir Teddy Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are being made to invite submissions in connection with the Defence Review from informed commentators outside his Department. [7061]

Dr. Reid

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence invited all those with an interest in defence to submit contributions to the Strategic Defence Review when he launched the Review on 28 May. Many have been received, including from informed commentators, and they are being taken into account in work on the Review. Outside contributions are also being made through the joint Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Ministry of Defence seminars on the Review policy baseline, in which a wide cross-section of expertise has been involved.

Mr. Gill

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in respect of his Strategic Defence Review(a) those subjects which are excluded and (b) those on which he has invited observations, submissions and evidence. [7376]

Dr. Reid

No subjects are excluded from the Strategic Defence Review. It is, however, based on the policy principles on which the Government was elected. In addition, some issues such as Service personnel policy will be considered as a matter of routine and not form a specific part of the Review process, although the impact on them of decisions taken in the Review may need to be considered.

We have invited inputs from all those with good ideas on policy and the best use of defence resources.

Mr. Gill

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress he has made in arranging for input to the Strategic Defence Review to he developed on an all party basis. [7350]

Dr. Reid

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence wrote to Opposition Defence Spokesmen on 28 May informing them of the proposed conduct of the Strategic Defence Review and inviting their contributions to the debate. He has also written to every right hon. and hon. Member and spokespersons of all UK parties in the European Parliament inviting their inputs into the Review process. My noble Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement has written similarly to interested Peers. Contributions are also being made by invited representatives from the Opposition Parties at the joint Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Ministry of Defence seminars on the Review policy baseline.

Mr. Keith Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which departmental meetings concerned with the Strategic Defence Review have been filmed for a television documentary. [7892]

Dr. Reid

No departmental meetings concerned with the strategic Defence Review have yet been filmed for a television documentary. A BBC TV documentary team has, however, filmed the first open seminar on the Strategic Defence Review, held at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 3 July.