§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to support garrison radio stations. [24991]
§ Mr. IngramOn 1 July 2001, a two-year pilot project was initiated to provide Army radio broadcasting in Aldershot, Bulford/Tidworth, Catterick and Colchester. By 7 January 2002, all four garrison stations will be broadcasting full time and are funded to remain on air until 1 July 2003. The radio stations will be broadcast predominantly on AM with some trial broadcasts being made in FM in accordance with radio authority regulations.
Garrison Radio Ltd., the contracted radio service provider, is offering a comprehensive local communication and welfare radio service at the four locations. Gurkha language services are also broadcast in appropriate garrisons.
In addition to broadcasting around the clock, a variety of news and features packages concentrating on local garrison items are compiled on a daily and weekly basis and made available as an audio download package on the Internet. All these news and features packages are accessible through the Army website at www.army.mod.uk.