§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimates he has made of(a) the total cost of transfer of equipment and (b) the cost of transferring IT equipment, in the move of 101 Battalion REME from Chorley Barracks to Queensferry. [63652]
§ Mr. Doug Henderson[holding answer 14 December 1998]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 7 December 1998, Official Report, column 54.
§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria he used to select Chorley TA for closure in the review of the Territorial Army. [63617]
§ Mr. Doug Henderson[holding answer 14 December 1998]: The planning assumptions underlying the restructuring of the Territorial Army were well publicised during the consultative process. A copy of the assumptions has been placed in the Library of the House. The particular factors bearing on the decision to close Chorley TA Centre were explained by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the hon. Members in the House on 2 December 1998, Official Report, columns 859–64.
§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect on travelling costs of the transfer of 101 Battalion REME from Chorley Barracks to Queensferry. [63623]
§ Mr. Doug Henderson[holding answer 14 December 1998]: The effect on travelling costs will depend on whether individuals are transferred from the headquarters at Chorley to that at Queensferry, when the Battalion transfers, which has yet to be determined.
§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many TA centres will remain open(a) in South Lancashire and (b) in the parliamentary constituencies of (i) Chorley, (ii) South Ribble, (iii) West Lancashire, (iv) Rossendale and Darwen and (v) Ribble Valley. [63618]
§ Mr. Doug Henderson[holding answer 14 December 1998]: There are two TA centres in South Lancashire; both are located in Blackburn and will remain open.
Chorley is the only constituency among those listed which has a TA centre; this is scheduled for closure.