§ Mr. Alan SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 12 January 1998,Official Report, column 135, where each of the 23 UK personnel working in the US and the four US employees working in the UK are located; and if he will make a statement on their current duties. [28819]
§ Mr. SpellarAs of 11 February 1998, the number of UK personnel stationed in the US reduced to 22, following the disestablishment of the Personal Secretary post in Washington. Of these, four are located in Washington and a further three in California with duties associated with the 1958 UK/US Mutual Defence Agreement: the remaining 15 are located at Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia (12), Kings Bay, Georgia (1), New London, Connecticut (1), and Laurel, Maryland (1), with duties associated with the Polaris Sales Agreement, as amended for Trident.
Of the four US personnel serving in the UK, three are located at Bristol and one at Barrow. Their duties are related to the Polaris Sales Agreement, as amended for Trident.
In this context it has been brought to my attention that in my reply to my hon. Friend's related question on 12 January 1998, Official Report, column 136, I referred inadvertently to the "Atomic Control Office Washington". This should have read "Atomic Co-ordinating Office, Washington".