Written question asked by Andrea Leadsom (Conservative) on Tuesday, 30 November 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 3 December 2010. It was answered by Lord Robathan (Conservative) on Tuesday, 7 December 2010 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Armed Forces: Uniforms

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what types of boots are supplied to Army personnel; where each such type is manufactured; and what the (a) unit cost and (b) life expectancy is of each type of boot.

Answer: [holding answer 3 December 2010]: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) currently has three contracts supplying 32 types of boot to armed forces personnel, most of which are used by the Army; two contracts are with UK companies, and the other is with a Spanish company.The life expectancy of boots depends upon the purpose and the environment in which the boot is being used. In normal use, most boots have an expected life of around three years but combat boots in theatre have a life of about six months.In accordance with European Union public procurement directives, it is at the discretion of the companies to choose where the manufacturing work is carried out, and the MOD does not routinely collect these data.I am withholding the information on the unit price of the boots as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.

Secondary information