§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his letter D/Min(AF)/JS PQ2803J/99 of 18 December 1999, if he will list the(a) names, (b) date of commencement in position, (c) formal employer and line manager, (d) responsibilities of and (e) salary of the Families Association representatives based at (i) HMNB Portsmouth, (ii) HMNB Devonport, (iii) Faslane/Clyde, (iv) HMS Collingwood, (v) HMS Raleigh, (vi) BRNC Dartmouth, (vii) RMTC Lympstone, (viii) HMS Excellent and (ix) RNAS Culdrose; and if he will make a statement. [123243]
567W
§ Mr. Spellar[holding answer 23 May 2000]: The tables attached with my letter D/Min(AF)/JSPQ2803J/99/P provided data received from the relevant Establishments and Units about welfare and other facilities for which provision was made at the units concerned. I understand, however, that in relation to the list of Families Association Representatives, although the Association of Royal Naval and Royal Marine Families very much hopes in due course to establish local representatives in the bases listed, it has not yet done so. That is because the Association only came into being last year and has only just recruited its first local representative, who is based in Helston, Cornwall. The Association is an independent body, although it does receive some financial assistance from my Department and provision of some accommodation and facilities. The recruitment of local representatives, management arrangements and responsibilities are all matters for the Association.