HC Deb 16 December 2002 vol 396 cc510-1W
Mr. Breed

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what major improvements have been made to the facilities for non-Vanguard submarines at Devonport dockyard; and if he will make a statement. [86709]

Mr. Ingram

A contract was placed with Devonport Management Ltd in 1997 to upgrade their existing facilities to provide the sole refitting and refuelling facilities for Vanguard and all other Royal Navy nuclear submarines.

The major improvements made to date to the specific facilities for non-Vanguard submarines, or to facilities shared by both Vanguard and non-Vanguard submarines, are as follows:

Dr. Moonie

When in full time service with Regular units and formations, reservists of all three services are tested on the same random basis as their Regular counterparts. Only the Army randomly test reservists serving in reserve units. During the period 1 January 2002 to 31 October 2002,1,342 Territorial Army personnel were tested, of whom nine tested positive (0.67 per cent. of those tested). Individual Army reservists are also tested on mobilisation when they report to the Reserves Training and Mobilisation Centre. During the same period 971 tests were conducted of which 13 tested positive (1.34 per cent. of those tested).