§ 17. Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford and Southend, East)If he will make a statement on the future use of the new ranges in Shoeburyness. [24479]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Dr. Lewis Moonie)QinetiQ has a contract with the Ministry of Defence to operate facilities across all the test and evaluation ranges until the end of March 2003. Day-to-day operations at the new ranges in Shoeburyness are being conducted by QinetiQ on the MOD's behalf under this contract, although the site remains MOD-owned. The company is pursuing opportunities for diversification, where appropriate, as part of its commercial strategy.
Separately, the MOD is also conducting a review of its longer-term requirements for trials, testing, training and evaluation, but it would be inappropriate for me to comment until the results of the review are known.
§ Sir Teddy TaylorThe Minister will be aware of the huge uncertainty of the people of Shoeburyness, and their local Member of Parliament, about the future of a large and exciting site. For example, in the past few months we have been told that QinetiQ, which runs the site, was going to be a PLC company with a private shareholding. However, that has now been abandoned. We were then told that there would be an agricultural project employing 1,000 people. That too has been abandoned. Now we are told that the future of the range as a range is under review.
In view of the importance of this site, is there not a case for the Minister coming to Shoeburyness—he will be very much welcomed there—to tell local people what is going on? The matter is of great significance to Shoeburyness; it is a wonderful site.
§ Dr. MoonieI must admire the hon. Gentleman's capacity to wring a great deal out of a single question. Perhaps I could try to answer as much of it as I can in the time allowed me by the Speaker. First, all our ranges are under review because, frankly, we must decide on the most cost-effective way of using them. I am well aware of the uncertainty that this poses for the people employed on our sites. I visited Shoeburyness last year and had the opportunity to see for myself its excellent facilities. However, our overall programme is subject to some 19 doubt. We must be sure about how much use of our facilities we can make at each of the sites that we still use. With regard to QinetiQ, I would be thought to have poor commercial judgment if I attempted to float the company on the stock exchange, given the present state of technological stocks.
§ Mr. Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey)I am the Member of Parliament for the constituency opposite Shoeburyness, and the bangs from the ranges cause windows to break and doors to rattle, and they scare dogs, cats and horses.
§ Sir Teddy TaylorRubbish.
§ Mr. WyattWe in north Kent would vote for the ranges to be closed. [Interruption.] We hear noises apart from the guns. My hon. Friend the Minister has kindly asked my constituents to visit Shoeburyness to see the site. Could we ask him instead to come and listen to the noises that cause windows to break and rattle the windows of old people's homes, scaring the hell out of them?
§ Dr. MoonieThat does not sound like the peaceful and idyllic part of our beautiful country that I thought north Kent was. Perhaps my hon. Friend is hearing the noise that the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend, East (Sir T. Taylor) makes in defence of his ranges. We have invited people from my hon. Friend's constituency and from neighbouring constituencies to go and see for themselves what goes on there. We investigate complaints fully. I must say that I find some bemusement at the level of complaint, compared with that from people who live much closer to the area concerned.