escribed as an economical, effective and highly valuable force in such terms. as to reduce its effectiveness; and there are no plans for any further reductions in its strength.
6. The Government notes the Committee's comments on the provision of married quarters for Gurkha soldiers (paragraph 9). Additional married quarters are provided as the opportunity arises and the present policy whereby a soldier, irrespective of rank, normally qualifies for married accommodation only after seven-nine years service will be kept under review.
7. The Committee referred to the education of the children of Gurkha soldiers, particularly to the provision for children still in schools when the fathers are due to retire. The Committee trusted that the Ministry of Defence would adopt a flexible attitude to the application of the rules relating to the education of Gurkha children so that no child is deprived of the opportunity to complete his education (paragraph 10).
8. Close liaison is maintained with the Nepalese Government in order to ensure that the individual child's education does not suffer. To this end, a flexible attitude is adopted to the maximum degree practicable in order to allow a child to complete his education at an Army school or to reach a point at which transfer to Nepal will cause the minimum of disruption.
9. The Government notes the Committee's regret that it was necessary to remove the frigate guardship from Hong Kong and agrees that, had economic circumstances been different, it might have been preferable to retain it. If any occasion to review the decision arises, the Committee's views will be given full weight.
10. The Committee commented on the restriction on flying hours for Wessex helicopters in Hong Kong and to corrosion of the Wessex in the atmosphere and environment in Hong Kong and recommended that con- sideration should be given to the replacement of the Wessex in Hong Kong as soon as possible (paragraph 15).
11. The Government is aware of the problems of corrosion in the Wessex helicopter fleet and has given consideration to the particular difficulties encountered in Hong Kong. The Government has concluded that it will not be possible to plan for a premature replacement of the Wessex in view of present financial constraints. In the meantime there are no other heli- copters which are both suitable and available to take over the task.
12. Steps are being taken to ensure that the squadron of Wessex heli- copters in Hong Kong will remain fully operational until its eventual replace- ment. A civil contract has been given to carry out major servicing. When corrosion is found the contractor replaces the affected magnesium alloy panel with a steel panel. The problem is likely to be a continuing one, because the corrosion is expected gradually to affect different parts of the helicopter, but each area, once repaired, ought not to require further treatment.
13. The Wessex pilots in Hong Kong are established to achieve an average of 22 hours flying per month. This figure is slightly higher than for pilots of other Wessex squadrons in the United Kingdom and Germany.
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