HC Deb 10 May 1994 vol 243 cc140-2
4. Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has had from the Royal Navy concerning the future of Rosyth naval base.

Mr. Aitken

The Royal Navy is fully involved in the "Front Line First" studies concerning all naval bases, including Rosyth.

Mr. Salmond

The first thing that will be noticed in Scotland is that the Secretary of State has ducked the question again. Can the junior Minister tell us whether the Secretary of State has seen the completed study group report on Rosyth naval base? Why do even his Back-Bench colleagues believe that it recommends closure of the site? Does the Minister accept that the general feeling in Scotland is that in any contest with the south coast Rosyth will be sacrificed? Given the Prime Minister's stated commitment to open government, will it not be appropriate to publish the study group report and allow the people of Scotland to enter the debate before the Government reach their conclusion?

Mr. Aitken

The hon. Gentleman is in danger of going over the top. He missed an excellent Adjournment debate on Friday afternoon, when many of his questions were answered in detail. The study teams for all the studies have now finished their work. Their reports will shortly be considered by Ministers for final decisions, but only when we have studied the reports and had full discussions will those decisions be made. I think that that answers the point that the hon. Gentleman was making.

Mr. Wilkinson

Will my hon. Friend ensure that the Rosyth naval base does not go the way of Scapa Flow and Invergordon? Were it to do so, would it not be yet another symbol of Britain's maritime decline? Is not its maintenance necessary if the Royal Navy is to remain a blue-water oceanic navy and not a mere channel patrol for the south coast of England?

Mr. Aitken

My hon. Friend's points will be considered by Ministers when we reach a final decision on this matter. However, in view of his strictures about shrinkage, I should make it clear that although in recent years the size of the Royal Navy has gone down in terms of fleet numbers, there has not been a similar reduction in the size of the four base port facilities. Indeed, we continue to operate four base ports despite a considerably reduced fleet. We must consider carefully the whole balance of naval infrastructure versus the size of the fleet, and that is what the study is largely about.

Ms Rachel Squire

Does the Minister agree that the various decisions made by Ministers, including the Prime Minister in 1991, that the Rosyth naval base was vital to the defence of the realm, were made in the full knowledge of the impact of the end of the cold war on naval commitments? Does he further agree that Rosyth remains important to the defence of the realm and that the promises made about its future should be kept?

Mr. Aitken

The hon. Lady has rightly been a strong advocate for the continued existence of Rosyth and we listen carefully to her. However, she does not strengthen her case by exaggerating promises that were never made —[Interruption.] To put the record straight, I shall repeat what my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in February 1991, when he made it clear that no decision had been taken to close Rosyth or any other naval base. He said: We fully recognise the implications that closure would have for employment in the area. Those implications would be fully considered and examined before any such decision was taken."—[Official Report, 5 February 1991; Vol. 185, c. 159.] That falls a long way short of the pledge or promise inferred by the hon. Lady. The record shows that the Government have always played their hand fairly and openly and without giving any false promises to anyone.

Mr. Allason

Does my hon. Friend agree that there should be the widest possible consultation before any decision is made on the closure of any Royal Navy base? Will he take this opportunity to confirm that our right hon. and learned Friend recently visited HMS Malabar and that any final decision on its closure will not be taken until there has been widespread consultation?

Mr. Aitken

I confirm that my right hon. and learned Friend made the visit to which my hon. Friend referred. I also confirm that before any final decisions are taken there will be fair and widespread consultations on any proposals put forward at the end of the "Front Line First" study.

Dr. Reid

Does the Minister not feel even slightly embarrassed that although one Cabinet member has said that he is prepared to fight publicly and privately for the retention of Rosyth, all that has emanated from the Secretary of State has been the "silence of the lamb"? Will he at least assure the House that before any decisions are taken on Rosyth all the alternative costings will be made available? Does he appreciate that if he refuses to do so, in addition to the accusations of betrayal in Scotland there will be accusations of a financial whitewash?

Mr. Aitken

There is no question of a whitewash. The hon. Gentleman is right to say that before final decisions are taken all Ministers, including my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, will be consulted. Once our proposals have been announced, we shall publish the information on which our decisions are based and there will be a fair opportunity to consider the proposals and the information contained in them.

Mr. Ian Bruce

My hon. Friend will recall that the last time we went round that track and the recommendation to close Rosyth naval base was before Ministers, it was rejected. Instead of changing one of the four base ports, we closed the only training port. Will my hon. Friend assure me that he will receive a delegation from me if he decides to close Rosyth naval base, because such a decision will change the naval balance? We can put up an even better case for a privatised naval base in Portland to do the training work much more cheaply than if it were sent to Plymouth.

Mr. Aitken

My hon. Friend's question emphasises that strong regional and constituency interests are quite properly at stake in the various decisions. The ministerial team at the Ministry of Defence plays fair and takes the defence interests, above all, into consideration. On my hon. Friend's request to bring a delegation to see me, he has done that in the past and I have always tried to give him a fair and courteous hearing. I should be glad to receive a delegation from him at some time in the future if he thinks it necessary.