§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what resources his Department has allocated to replace the EU Konver programme, to elp servicemen and women in moving from the armed forces to civilian occupation. [158620]
§ Mr. CaplinThe two Konver programmes which ran from 1993–94 and from 1995–99 were aimed at areas affected by the running down of defence-related industries and military installations, and the measures funded included training for new jobs, support for other businesses, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises, and the conversion and re-use of ex-military land.
1268WThe Ministry of Defence's resettlement programme which supports Service leavers moving from the armed forces to civilian life predated the Konver programme and was not affected by the closure of Konver II in 1999. Until October 1998, the career transition services programme was managed in-house, and the current contract placed in 1998, is not due to expire until September 2005. Arrangements are currently in hand to retender this requirement for a further period of at least seven years.