§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number and location of HM forces overseas; and if he will make a statement. [138095]
§ Mr. SpellarThe following table shows the number of UK Regular Forces and Gurkhas overseas at 1 October 2000.
Overseas Trade Statistics. These statistics do not identify the age of the animal from which the beef was derived, but the sale for human consumption of any meat from animals aged over 30 months at slaughter is prohibited by the Fresh Meat (Beef Controls) (No. 2) Regulations 1996. The country from which these imports originated is not recorded in the Overseas Trade Statistics; therefore not necessarily all beef shown as being imported from France will be of French origin.
Imports of beef from France August 1999-July 2000 Description of beef Tonnes Bone-in, fresh or chilled 146 Boneless, fresh or chilled 504 Bone-in, frozen 543 Boneless, frozen 1,497 Offal, fresh, chilled or frozen 377 Corned beef 2,491 Other meat and offal preparations 90 Total 5,647 Note:
The data are provisional and subject to amendment