HC Deb 20 March 1997 vol 292 cc861-2W
Mr. Viggers

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what considerations he is taking into account in his review of laundry services at the Royal hospital, Haslar; and what is the timetable for the further steps in the decision-making process. [19092]

MoD personnel 1979 to 1997
Civilian personnel Service personnel
As at All personnel Total civilians UK based1 Locally engaged civilians Total service UK regular forces Locally entered personnel Royal Irish Regiment2>
1 April 1979 616,863.0 285,904.0 247,700.0 38,204 330,959 314,991 8,368 7,600
1 April 1980 612,456.0 276,242.0 239,800.0 36,442 336,214 320,625 8,189 7,400
1 April 1981 615,788.0 264,903.0 229,600.0 35,303 350,885 333,755 9,730 7,400
1 April 1982 596,623.0 251,695.0 216,900.0 34,795 344,928 327,647 10,081 7,200
1 April 1983 580,580.0 242,745.0 208,900.0 33,845 337,835 320,623 10,112 7,100
1 April 1984 575,179.0 232,461.0 199,100.0 33,361 342,718 325,909 10,109 6,700
1 April 1985 549,320.0 206,497.0 174,077.0 32,420 342,823 326,217 10,206 6,400
1 April 1986 540,815.5 201,704.5 169,462.5 32,242 339,111 322,510 10,101 6,500
1 April 1987 532,285.5 196,078.5 164,002.5 32,076 336,207 319,849 9,758 6,600
1 April 1988 507,767.5 175,145.5 143,394.5 31,751 332,622 316,895 9,427 6,300
1 April 1989 499,574.0 172,553.0 141,317.0 31,236 327,021 311,649 9,072 6,300
1 April 1990 493,241.5 172,311.5 141,372.5 30,939 320,930 305,711 9,019 6,200
1 April 1991 482,359.0 169,135.0 140,199.0 28,936 313,224 298,065 9,059 6,100
1 April 1992 474,909.0 166,494.0 139,454.0 27,040 308,415 293,444 8,971 6,000
1 April 1993 444,501.5 155,850.5 129,225.5 26,625 288,651 274,849 8,167 5,635
1 April 1994 409,413.0 142,289.0 121,558.0 20,731 267,124 254,488 7,238 5,398
1 April 1995 377,042.0 133,229.0 116,140.0 17,089 243,813 233,340 5,218 5,255
1 April 1996 359,152.0 126,734.0 109,858.0 16,876 232,418 222,417 5,035 4,966
1 January 19973 351,592.0 126,508.0 109,632.0 16,8764 225,084 215,326 4,924 4,834
1 Part time UK based civilians counted as 0.5 prior to 1995. Since 1995, they are counted as the proportion of full-time hours worked.
2 Includes the Ulster Defence Regiment for figures up to 1 April 1992.
3 January 1997 Army strengths include 95 reservist officers and 1,011 reservist soldiers currently mobilised for service in the former Yugoslavia.
4 Figure unavailable for January 1997, April 1996 figure used.

Mr. Soames

This is a matter for the chief executive of the Defence Secondary Care Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Ron Smith to Mr. Peter Viggers dated 20 March 1997: I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the future of the laundry services at the Royal Hospital, Haslar as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Defence Secondary Care Agency (DSCA). You may recall from my earlier letter that the DSCA has been conducting a review to determine the best long-term means of providing laundry services at the Hospital. We have considered a range of factors, uppermost of which is service quality and cost. During that time we have consulted closely with the Trade Unions in accordance with established procedures. We have now completed a feasibility study and we hope to be able to make a formal announcement in the near future. In the meantime we have written separately to the local Trade Unions.