Mutual Defence Agreement (USA) (Hansard, 30 June 1999)

§ Mr.Alan Simpson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list(a) the number of personnel currently working in the United States under the auspices of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement, (b) which US facility they are working in and (c) their purpose for being there. [88136]

§ Mr. Spellar
There are four UK officials serving in the US under the auspices of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement (MDA). All are located in the British Embassy, Washington, DC. Their duties are to facilitate the conduct of bilateral business within the provisions of the MDA. In addition, there are three staff seconded from AWE Aldermaston to the US to assist with the technical development of facilities of mutual interest. Currently, two are stationed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and one at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

§ Mr. Alan Simpson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many visits of UK personnel to the US under the auspices of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement have occurred in the last 12 months. [88138]

§ Mr. Spellar
During the period 1 June 1998 to 31 May 1999, a total of 235 visits to the US, involving one or more individuals, took place under the auspices of the 1958 UK/US Mutual Defence Agreement.

§ Mr. Alan Simpson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many EIVRs have been generated as a result of exchanges of information under the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement in each of the last five years; and if he will place unclassified versions in the Library. [88139]

§ Mr. Spellar
Two Exchanges of Information by Visit and Report, EIVRs, have occurred within the last five years. One, on the subject of Test Monitoring, was generated in 1997 and first met in 1998. The most recent, on matters concerned with the future contract to manage the Atomic Weapons Establishment, was both created and met in 1998. The details of such exchanges are invariably classified and are withheld under the terms of Exemption160W Category 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information relating to defence, security and international relations. Accordingly, no unclassified version is, or will be, available.