HL Deb 01 December 1955 vol 194 cc1009-10

2.36 p.m.

VISCOUNT STONEHAVEN

My Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in view of the policy announced after the Crichel Down case, they intend offering the land comprising Fordoun aerodrome, Kincardineshire, back to the two original owners and two successors in title at a price to be fixed by the district valuer.]

LORD FAIRFAX OF CAMERON

My Lords, there is no further requirement for this airfield, and Her Majesty's Government are prepared to sell the land back to the former owners, or their Successors, at a price to be fixed by the district valuer. The sale would be subject to existing occupations. As was emphasised in tie statement to which the noble Viscount refers, the disposal of airfield land presents special difficulties owing to the layout of the runways and the obliteration of former boundaries. These make it impracticable to apply any rigid rule far the return of individual parcels of land and it is proposed to discuss with the former owners the division of the laud at Fordoun, to seek the solution most satisfactory to all concerned.

VISCOUNT STONEHAVEN

My Lords, the four former owners concerned have already agreed, if they are allowed. to buy this block of land from the Ministry as one purchaser and to settle the boundaries inter se afterwards. Therefore, in this particular ease, I do not quite see what difficulty there can be about boundaries. The other problem here is that the existing tenant has no lease.

LORD FAIRFAX OF CAMERON

In reply to the second part of the noble Viscount's remarks, may I say that Her Majesty's Government cannot guarantee to resell land with vacant possession, and there was nothing in the statement on July 20, 1954, of my right honourable friend the then Minister of Agriculture which gave any undertaking to the contrary. As I said at ate end of my reply, it is proposed to discuss any division of the land, where discussion may be required, with the owners on the spot.

VISCOUNT STONEHAVEN

I thank the noble Lord for his Answer.

EARL JOWITT

May I take it that the public consideration will be the overriding consideration in this case?

LORD FAIRFAX OF CAMERON

Yes, certainly.