Defence Medical Services (Hansard, 14 November 2001)

§ Mr. Swayne
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make statement on the quinquennial review of Defence Medical Services. [13701]
741W

§ Dr. Moonie
I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 17 October 2001,Official Report, column 1224W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Great Yarmouth (Mr. Wright). A quinquennial review of the Defence Medical Agencies and some other aspects of defence medical arrangements is currently under way. The first phase of the review has been completed and a summary has been placed in the Library of the House.

§ Mr. Swayne
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Brigadier Tim Taylor's report on Deployable Medical Capability will be complete; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [13702]

§ Mr. Ingram
We are currently, as part of our normal routine, undertaking work to develop options on how to provide and deliver an effective and efficient future medical capability required to deploy in support of operations. A report on this work will be produced for internal planning purposes during autumn next year.

§ Mr. Swayne
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place a copy of the report, "Defence Medical Services, Strategy for the Future", in the Library. [13703]

§ Dr. Moonie
The work undertaken, in the wake of the Strategic Defence Review, on a strategy for resolving problems facing the Defence Medical Services, constitutes internal discussion and advice and is withheld from publication under exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. A summary of the findings entitled "The Defence Medical Services—A Strategy for the Future" was placed in the Library of the House in December 1998.