HC Deb 10 May 2002 vol 385 cc376-7W
Hugh Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many service personnel are serving with(a) BDLS Washington and (b) BATUS Suffield, broken down by service;[53778]

(2) pursuant to his answer of 16 April, Official Report, column 825W, on deployment, what account was taken of army personnel serving with (a) BATUS Suffield and (b) BDLS Washington. [53801]

Dr. Moonie

[holding answer 2 May 2002]: The answer my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces (Mr. Ingram) gave on 16 April 2002, Official Report, column 825W, showed the total number and location of armed forces personnel deployed overseas on military tasks and operations only.

No account was taken of army personnel serving with (a) BATUS Suffield and (b) BDS Washington as neither of these are military tasks or operations.

The figures for those currently serving with BATUS Suffield are as follows:

Permanent Staff 207
Temporary Staff (summer training staff) 180
Canadian Military Staff 103
Total Personnel* 490
* All Army Personnel.

The figures for those currently serving with BDS Washington are as follows:

Naval Service 18
Army 16
RAF 12
Total Personnel 46

These figures reflect service personnel serving in the British Defence Staff at the British Embassy in Washington (including Attaches). They do not include service personnel in exchange, liaison or project staff appointments. In organisational terms BDLS Washington no longer exists and is replaced by BDS Washington.

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