HC Deb 10 July 1979 vol 970 cc247-8
10. Mr. Gummer

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the American authorities on housing for service families at bases in East Anglia.

Mr. Pattie

.The United States Air Force authorities in the Bentwaters-Woodbridge area have sought the help of the local authorities over the difficult housing problem there. The Suffolk county council has written to the Department of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, my own Department and other interested parties and asked if a meeting could be convened. This is being looked into. I would certainly expect my Department to be represented at any such meeting.

Mr. Gummer

Will my hon. Friend accept that the people of Suffolk wish to extend the greatest hospitality to those who are there helping to defend the West, and that if they are to do so they need as much help as they can get from his Department in the circumstances of the Government cutbacks which are necessary but which bear heavily on the county of Suffolk?

Mr. Pattie

I shall ensure that my hon. Friend's comments are reported to the appropriate quarter.

Mr. Newens

Is it not vital that we give consideration to our Service men in the circumstances in which they are demobilised, given notice to quit and have considerable difficulty in getting accomodation allocated to them from local authorities? Is it not vital that we take care of that issue in the first place?

Mr. Pattie

I do not know whether I agree with the hon. Gentleman when he says " in the first place ", but he refers to a matter that is of at least equal importance to the matter raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Eye (Mr. Gummer). The hon. Gentleman has a point of substance.

Mr. Hawkins

Does my hon. Friend agree that it is far better for RAF Service men to live on the station rather than being forced by high rents that have been set in the past to push out into the neighbouring villages and live off the station? It is a major problem because many houses on RAF stations in East Anglia are empty.

Mr. Pattie

My hon. Friend is right when he says that it is desirable for RAF personnel to live on the station. It is our wish to encourage that state of affairs.