HC Deb 14 February 1985 vol 73 cc623-4 1.56 am
Mr. William Powell (Corby)

I beg to ask the leave of the House to present a petition on behalf of myself and my hon. Friend the Member for Huntingdon (Mr. Major), whom I am delighted to see in his place, and our constituents, relating to the Molesworth airfield. The petition reads as follows: The Humble Petition of the residents of villages in the Parliamentary constituencies of Huntingdom and Corby Sheweth That there is disruption locally as the result of legal and illegal protests against the siting of Cruise Missiles on the Molesworth air-base. Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House Remove the illegal settlements on or near Molesworth Airfield Provide adequate policing of the area to prevent the return of the illegal settlements Enforce the law vigorously: prevent intimidation of residents and theft of property throughout the area Ensure that the cost of the operation does not fall on the ratepayers but is funded by Central Government. And your Petitioners as in duty bound, will ever pray &c. The terms of the petition have to a substantial extent already been met and I know that my hon. Friend's constituents join my constituents in thanking those who have made that possible. The petition has been signed by 90 per cent. of the residents of the parishes of Clopton and Titchmarsh in the county of Northamptonshire and the parliamentary constituency of Corby, 90 per cent. of the inhibitants of the villages of Old Weston and Molesworth in the county of Cambridgeshire and parliamentary constituency of Huntingdon, and a substantial number of residents of surrounding villages in both counties.

Our constituents greatly resent the inaccuracies and distortions that have appeared in the media in the past few days and desire me to say that many of the reports have been entirely wrong. Our constituents are anxious that hereafter they be left alone by the people still unlawfully surrounding the Royal Air Force base. They wish to be left in peace to get on with their lives in the ordinary way. There has been substantial damage to crops and trees, theft of property and a large number of unfair allegations against our constituents. These are deeply resented and I know that my hon. Friend the Member for Huntingdom joins me in expressing our support for our constituents and our determination to ensure that they are able to live their lives in peace hereafter.

To lie upon the Table.