§ 2.49 p.m.
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHMy Lords, I beg to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the number of Service airfields in the United Kingdom held by the Government, that are not in use by the Royal Air Force or the Royal Navy as active stations; how many are being maintained on a "care and maintenance" basis, and at what cost; and how many are derelict.]
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR AIR (LORD DE L'ISLE AND DUDLEY)My Lords, the number of airfields held by the Service Departments and not in use by the Royal Air Force, the United States Air Force or the Royal Navy is 148. Eighteen of these are used for flying by aircraft firms or flying clubs; sixteen are used by various Government Departments for purposes such as vehicle storage; and forty-three are retained by the Service Departments on a "care and maintenance" basis. The remaining seventy-one are to be disposed of. These figures are additional to the large number of airfields which have already been transferred to the Agricultural Departments. Expenditure on the airfields on a "care and maintenance" basis has been kept to a minimum and in 1954–55 was of the order of £250,000.
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHMy Lords, may I thank the noble Lord for the fullness of his reply? Would he agree with me that the rapid transference of as many of these airfields as possible which are not in active service use to more productive purposes would be in the interests of the national economy, and, further, would make a substantial contribution to the saving is Government expenditure which is so desired at the present time?
§ LORD DE L'ISLE AND DUDLEYMy Lords, I can assure the noble Lord that it is my intention to transfer them as rapidly as practicable.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKIn view of the debate on South Uist on Thursday, may I ask the noble Lord whether he would be prepared on that occasion to let us know which of these airfields, derelict or otherwise, are situated in North or South Uist, or Benbecula?
§ LORD DE L'ISLE AND DUDLEYMy Lords, I can tell the noble Viscount now that there is one R.A.F. airfield in Benbecula, which is in use. There is a civil strip in North Uist, which is not now in the possession of my Department. There is no airfield on South Uist.