§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the total number of US Visiting Forces based in the UK; and where they are located; [31917]
(2) pursuant to his answer of 2 March 1998, Official Report, column 490, how many of his Department's personnel are based at (i) Abbey Wood, (ii) RAF Alconbury, Molesworth and Upwood, (iii) RAF Bentley Priory, (iv) Boscombe Down, (v) RAF Bracknell, (vi) RAF Brampton, (vii) RAF Brize Norton, (viii) RAF Coltishall, (ix) RAF Cranwell, (x) RAF Croughton, (xi) RAF Digby, (xii) RAF Daws Hill, Hythe and West Ruislip, (xiii) Eastcote, (xiv) RAF Fairford, (xv) RAF Farnborough, (xvi) RAF Fylingdales, (xvii) RAF High Wycombe, (xviii) RAF Honnington, (xix) RAF Lakenheath and RAF Feltwell, (xx) RAF Leuchars, (xxi) Landwater, (xxii) RAF Lyneham, (xxiii) RAF Morham, (xxiv) RAF Menwith Hill, (xxv) RAF Mildenhall, (xxvi) RAF Oakhanger, (xxvii) RAF Spadeadam, (xxviii) RAF Uxbridge, (xxix) RAF Valley, (xxx) RAF Waddington, (xxxi) Waterbeach, (xxxii) RAF Wittering, (xxxiii) RAF Wyton, (xxxiv) Ipswich and (xxxv) London. [33574]
§ Dr. Reid[pursuant to his reply, 2 March 1998, c. 490]: I regret to inform the hon. Gentleman that the information provided was incorrect. Accurate data are as follows: There are in the region of 13,500 members of the United States Visiting Force permanently based at some 30 locations in the UK. Precise information on personnel assignments is not held centrally. However, on the basis of the data that are available, total numbers of United 220W States Service and civilian personnel as at 20 March are listed against the sites where they are located, together with details of MoD personnel located at the same sites.
Location US personnel MoD personnel RAF Alconbury/Molesworth/Upwood 1,012 308 RAF Croughtori/Barford St John 443 203 RAF Daws Hill/West Ruislip/Eastcote/USN London 770 76 RAF Digby 38 970 RAF Fairford/Welford 214 249 RAF Feltwell 132 3 RAF Fylingdales 1 257 RAF Hythe 5 13 RAF Lakenheath 5,294 655 RAF Menwith Hill 1,407 373 RAF Mildenhall 3,858 583 Northwood 16 1,712 RAF Oakhanger 1 255 RAF Spadeadam 4 174 RAF St Mawgan 295 803 RAF Uxbridge 1 182 Total 13.491 6,816 In addition to the above, there are approximately 200 US service personnel present in the UK, mainly serving in singleton posts at a wide variety of locations who are either participating in UK/US exchange programmes or engaged in specific bilateral projects or operational posts.