Vol. 530 No. 4
42 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Defence the plans there are for improved stock controls within the Defence Forces having regard to the findings of the Comptroller and Auditor General that Land Rover spare parts worth more than £100,000 are now obsolete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4014/01]
For many years the Defence Forces operated a large fleet of Land Rovers, approximately 500. A level of Land Rover spare parts were kept in stores as part of the good management of the fleet. Between 1989 and 1998 the Land Rover fleet was replaced and the spare parts which were the subject of comment by the Comptroller and Auditor General were the residual stocks which were left in stores after the final phase out of the Land Rover. These stocks have been sold.
The Defence Forces has changed its stocking policy to a system that keeps stock levels to a minimum for all stores which are freely available on the market. Previously, these stocks were purchased on a bulk basis in order to benefit from bulk discounts. In addition, measures are now being put in place to ensure that all store managers in the Defence Forces arrange for the prompt disposal of obsolete stocks.
