§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if local overseas allowances were made available to all personnel in Exercise Saif Sareea 2; [13837]
(2) if concessions were offered in lieu of local allowances overseas in Exercise Saif Sareea 2; and what these concessions were; [13838]
(3) how many of the personnel in Exercise Saif Sareea 2 who were entitled to local overseas allowances or concessions in lieu received them; how many did not and to what units they belonged. [13839]
§ Mr. IngramPersonnel deploying on Exercise Saif Sareea 2 were not entitled to Local Overseas Allowances (LOA) or to concessions in lieu of them. Although neither a concession nor a substitute for LOA, a comprehensive Operational Welfare package was made available to deployed personnel. This was in accordance with my predecessor's announcement on 19 March 2001,Official Report, column 12, which covered the welfare arrangements for exercises lasting for two months or more. The package included shower and laundry facilities, 20 minutes of free telephone calls a week, access to free electronic aerograms and free e-mail, television, videos, DVDs, newspapers, books, sports equipment and a Combined Service Entertainment show.