§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department issued instructions that Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force cadets must not travel in four-tonne trucks or other military vehicles without seatbelts; and what assessment he has made of the impact of this ruling on(a) cadet training and (b) cadet financing. [116346]
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§ Mr. SpellarInstructions on the carriage of cadets in military vehicles were first issued on 20 March 1998, in response to the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1996 (SI 1996/163). These instructions stated that the use of Troop Carrying Vehicles (TCVs) which were not fitted with passenger restraint was not appropriate for the routine movement of cadets. The use of TCVs for the carriage of cadets was therefore restricted to training areas and their immediate vicinity.
The use of military vehicles during training is permitted, but only under a rigorous control regime. This requires Commanding Officers to consider whether it enhances training, whether it might be more appropriate to use civilian vehicles, the nature of the training and the terrain to be covered. This is aimed at ensuring that the proposed training is reasonable and that any risks are controllable.
Following the Strategic Defence Review, additional funding of £500,000 per year was allocated to Headquarters Land Command for additional provision for routine travel for Army Cadet Force units and Army sections of the Combined Cadet Force, and additional facilities at detachment level. Of this, £200,000 per year has been allocated to TAVRAs for cadet travel. This is in addition to the usual process through which TAVRAs receive funding, including provision for a cadet travel vote. This additional funding has meant that the impact of the ruling with respect to the requirement for seatbelts in TCVs on Army Cadet Force training and financing has been minimal.
Naval Cadet Forces seldom used four-tonne trucks for passenger carrying purposes, and therefore the ruling with respect to the requirement for seatbelts in these vehicles has had no impact either on cadet training or financing. Naval Cadet Forces use either loan vehicles from motor transport pools or hire vehicles, all of which are fitted with seat belts.
Air Cadets do not travel in four-tonne trucks at any time. They may occasionally travel in Land Rovers, which are sometimes used at gliding schools. The ruling has had no impact on their training or financing.