Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what military personnel they are providing to contain the spread of ebola; and how many staffed and equipped field hospitals they have, if any.

In response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the UK has committed £205 million to contain, combat and ultimately defeat the disease in Sierra Leone. UK support will include the construction of six Ebola treatment centres across the country, providing 700 beds to treat 8,800 patients over the next six months.

In support of this effort, the UK has deployed 750 military personnel to Sierra Leone. This will support the deployment of RFA Argus and three Merlin helicopters which will provide crucial transport support to medical teams and aid experts. It also includes military personnel to staff a WHO Ebola Training Facility training healthcare workers, logisticians and hygiene specialists; and support to a UK joint civilian-military command and control hub, which will provide the backbone of infrastructure, commodities, training and management needed to scale up the response in Sierra Leone.