HL Deb 10 February 1997 vol 578 cc7-8

3 p.m.

Baroness Young asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they expect to announce the list of those who will serve on Sir Angus Stirling's committee, which is to consider the future of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Earl Howe)

My Lords, the body chaired by Sir Angus Stirling will be called the Greenwich Foundation for the Royal Naval College and is being registered as a charitable company limited by guarantee. I am pleased to announce that its other trustees will be Sir Benjamin Bathurst; Sir Franklin Berman; Councillor Len Duvall, leader of the London Borough of Greenwich; Sir David Cooksey; Professor Thomas Kempner; Richard MacCormac; Margaret Richardson and Christopher Swinson. We are most grateful for their agreement to serve in that role. The foundation will benefit greatly from their wealth of naval, business, financial, heritage, architectural and educational expertise.

Baroness Young

My Lords, I thank my noble friend very much indeed for that most welcome Answer. First, I declare an interest as the Chancellor of the University of Greenwich. Will my noble friend assure me that the new body will move with speed towards arrangements for the University of Greenwich's sub-tenancy of the naval college following the recommendations of the committee set up under the chairmanship of Dame Jennifer Jenkins? The university is particularly anxious to achieve a settlement as regards HMS "Dreadnought", the old seamen's hospital.

Earl Howe

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend. The foundation is in discussion with the University of Greenwich about its plans for occupation of the site. Naturally, the foundation will want to satisfy itself that the plans are viable before entering into a legal agreement. However, it is now for the foundation to take forward that work. I know that Sir Angus Stirling is conscious of the importance of the issue to the university.

With regard to the "Dreadnought" building, although I should like to assist my noble friend as far as possible, there is little definite that I can say at this stage. There is no direct Ministry of Defence interest in that building, but the director of the Greenwich hospital is in negotiation with the University of Greenwich in regard to its future.

Lord Taylor of Blackburn

My Lords, why is there no representative of the University of Greenwich among the members of the trustees?

Earl Howe

My Lords, the simple answer is that there may well be a conflict of interest should the university become a sub-tenant. However, we have ensured that there is educational expertise on the board of directors.

Lord Williams of Elvel

My Lords, in view of the national importance of this matter and on the assumption that the committee will make its recommendations during the next Parliament, what consultations were there with the Opposition on the membership which the noble Earl has just announced?

Earl Howe

My Lords, I am not aware of any obligation on the part of the Government to consult Her Majesty's Opposition on a matter of this kind. I believe that the board of directors has wide experience and an absolutely unobjectionable range of expertise which will be brought to the table in this very important enterprise.

Lord Peyton of Yeovil

My Lords, will my noble friend assure the House that there can now be progress? So far, there has been quite a lot of delay. I hope that this very distinguished body, the members of which my noble friend announced this afternoon, will be able to scotch some of the more unsound ideas which have been in circulation about the future of the Royal Naval College.

Earl Howe

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for his guarded welcome of this announcement. We have made good progress and the announcement today is part of that. We must remember that the foundation will be taking on extremely important responsibilities. We need to make sure that the terms of its operation are right and we must ensure that the right spread of expertise is available to the body of trustees. Those things take time.

We should not forget also that those with the potential to contribute most as trustees of such a body are usually those who are also in greatest demand generally.