RADIO SPECTRUM AND THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

That this House welcomes the proposal by Ofcom on 31 January 2008 that the Government should share, trade or release valuable radio spectrum currently allocated to public sector bodies, and draws attention to reports that this could generate up to £20 billion for Treasury funds; congratulates the Government on its decision to incorporate the £959 million generated by the sale of Chelsea Barracks into the Ministry of Defence's (MoD) budget; notes the MoD currently holds 75 per cent. of public spectrum holdings below 15Ghz that are being considered for sale later this year; calls on the Government to reconsider its decision to allow only £500 million of the proceeds from the Ofcom proposal to be returned to the MoD and urges it to significantly increase this amount; and further calls on the Government to use any additional funds generated above the ceiling of £500 million to improve service housing, increase support for seriously injured service personnel and their families and ensure that the armed forces are properly equipped both now and in the future.