Nov 06 - Armed Forces Minister Confident in UK's Ability to Defend Gibraltar Against Potential Threat
During questions to the Secretary of State for Armed Forces Mark Francois in Parliament yesterday Tory MP Nicholas Soames probed the Minister on military and civilian assets stationed on the Rock. In his response, Mr. Francois noted that there were 155 UK military personnel serving in Gibraltar currently, split between HQBF, The Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron and the Windmill Hill Signal Station.
He added that ‘a further 705 Ministry of Defence UK-based and locally employed civilian personnel provide support services to Defence operations, including 95 serving in the Gibraltar Defence Police. Additionally, the Royal Gibraltar Regiment comprises 226 full-time and 166 reserve personnel.’
Minister Francois went on to explain that these military assets are intended to provide ‘security and territorial integrity of Gibraltar and British Gibraltar Territorial Waters, and to enable the maintenance of Gibraltar as a forward mounting base for UK military operations’.
A further question from Andrew Rosindell, Chairman of UK’s All Party Parliamentary Group on the Overseas Territories, probed the Ministeron the UK’s ability to respond to military threats to Gibraltar. In his response, Mr. Francois insisted that the UK Government ‘continually monitor the situation and adjust our force posture and resources as appropriate.’ He expressed his confidence in the military’s current capabilities to protect the peninsula from any potential threat.
