§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what he estimates the cost of the British Army recruitment programme in Fiji was in the last financial year. [100754]
§ Mr. SpellarThe cost in the current financial year of the Army selection visit to Fiji currently under way is estimated to be some £104,000.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the second round of interviews for Fijian applicants to the British Army will take place. [100755]
§ Mr. SpellarThere are currently no plans to repeat the Army selection visit to Fiji once the current backlog of applications is dealt with.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many interviews for Fijian applicants to the British Army have taken place in the last three weeks; and if he will make a statement. [100753]
§ Mr. SpellarAs at 26 November, a total of 400 Fijian nationals had been through the selection process in Fiji. Of these, 200 were successful and will be called forward to the UK over the next three months to undergo the final stages in the process before starting training. A further 78 applications have been deferred for various reasons, but the applicants have the opportunity to resolve the cause of their deferment before the end of the selection visit.