§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list operational deployments where British forces do not have access to hot shower facilities and laundry; [155322]
(2) on which exercises lasting for two months or more British forces have not had access to hot shower and laundry facilities; [155323]
(3) which units and agencies will be responsible for the provision of hot shower facilities and laundry facilities for deployed forces. [155324]
§ Mr. Spellar[holding answer 28 March 2001]: Previously, operational welfare support has been provided only to personnel who are deployed overseas on operations under the command of PJHQ. As of 1 April, however, such welfare provision will be extended to include personnel on maritime deployments that are expected to be away from the UK for two months or more and, also, other exercise deployments that are expected to last for two months or more outside the country in which the personnel are based. This will result in improvements to, among other things, the provision of shower and laundry facilities.
733WCurrently, not all personnel deployed on operations have access to hot shower facilities. At Ali Al Salam, in Kuwait, the reliability and quality of the facilities is poor and the Ministry of Defence is currently addressing this problem. Also, Short-Term Training Team personnel in Sierra Leone do not have hot water shower facilities; they do, however, have access to cold water showers, which is regarded as satisfactory in view of the climate. All current operational deployments have access to laundry facilities.
Information on the availability of hot shower and laundry facilities during exercises is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. We are, however, conscious of the fact that there have been significant shortfalls in this area and have therefore provided additional funding within the new Operational Welfare Package, amounting to more than £6 million over the next four years, specifically to redress the problem. We expect future shower and laundry facilities to be incorporated in the Expeditionary Campaign Infrastructure Procurement programme, due in Service in 2004. It is expected that they will be cabin-based, similar to those procured under the Improved Tented Camp urgent operational requirement for Kosovo.
The senior deployed logistics officer is responsible for ensuring that hot shower and laundry facilities are provided. The one exception to this is that UK Service personnel deployed on UN operations are administered under UN arrangements.