§ 3. Mr. Hurdasked the Secretary of State for Air how many houses adjoining Greenham Common airfield have been, or will be, purchased for use by United States; airmen and their families; and how many married quarters are to be built for them.
Mr. WardApart from one house bought some time ago for the commander at this airfield, no houses have been or are to be purchased. The current plan provides for building about seventy new married quarters.
§ Mr. HurdIs my right hon. Friend aware that several houses adjoining Greenham Common airfield are now empty and unlikely ever to be suitable for ordinary people's use when it is proposed to build more married quarters in the same vicinity? Would it not be better, rather than abandon these existing houses, to use our available building resources to better advantage by putting the houses into a proper state for use as quarters instead of setting out to build so many new married quarters?
Mr. WardWe have looked very carefully at twenty-three existing houses with a view to doing what my hon. Friend suggests, but it has been found that none is suitable and that the modifications which would be necessary would be far more expensive than the construction of new houses.
§ 4. Mr. Hurdasked the Secretary of State for Air if, before Greenham Common air base is again brought into operational use by jet bombers next autumn, he will visit Newbury to review with the mayor's liaison committee the problem of noise abatement and the further measures that can be taken to prevent avoidable hardship to local residents.
Mr. WardI understand that the committee is in very close touch with the base commander at Greenham Common, but if there are any points which it particularly wishes to discuss with me, I should naturally be glad to meet it
§ Mr. HurdIs my right hon. Friend aware that he—as were his two predecessors—will be very welcome if he can find the opportunity to discuss the problem with the mayor and his liaison committee?