HC Deb 21 June 1994 vol 245 cc111-2
6. Mr. Foulkes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of the total area of land in the United Kingdom owned by his Department.

Mr. Hanley

Just under 600,000 acres of freehold and leasehold—including foreshore—as at 1 April 1994.

Mr. Foulkes

While I would normally welcome the disposal of defence land, will the Minister assure us that one disposal that he will strongly resist is that of Rosyth naval base, as that would not only devastate the economy of Fife, but would undermine our defence capability and represent a betrayal of all the promises given by the Secretary of State at the Dispatch Box when we discussed Rosyth dockyard?

Mr. Hanley

The hon. Gentleman would not expect me to answer that question because a specific question later on the Order Paper deals with exactly that point.

Mr. Viggers

Is my hon. Friend aware that, in constituencies such as the one that I represent at Gosport, the Ministry of Defence owns as much as a third of the land? It is therefore crucial that, when land is released, there should be the closest possible discussion between the Ministry of Defence and the local authority. Will he confirm that the pattern set by Lord Cranbourne over the release of a small portion of land at Leigh-on-Solent will be followed when the Ministry releases land?

Mr. Hanley

I am grateful to my hon. Friend. His local authority of Gosport has an excellent record of co-operation with the land service of the Ministry of Defence. We shall co-operate with every local authority before land is disposed of. That is in the interests not only of local authorities and people who live in the area, but the Ministry of Defence. We are trying to reduce our land with each passing year. It is good financially for the Ministry of Defence, which made a net reduction last year of 1,389 acres, and the sale of more than 12,000 acres is currently in the pipeline.

Mr. Jamieson

Will the Minister consider the land on which Devonport dockyard stands? Does he recall that last year the Secretary of State for Defence, who is sitting beside him, said that only 350 jobs would be lost at Devonport, whereas the reality is nearly 2,000? Is his Department incompetent, or was he deliberately misleading the House?

Mr. Hanley

The hon. Gentleman has got it wrong. The job losses that the management announced last week were the result of efficiency measures that they had introduced. Therefore, my right hon. and learned Friend has kept his word entirely. I should have thought that an accusation such as that on his birthday was below the belt.