§ 2.52 p.m.
VISCOUNT EUBANKMy Lords, I beg to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they can state the general position of the work being executed in connection with the guided-missile range on the Island of South Uist, including the number of personnel to be employed, and other relevant matters.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRE-TARY, MINISTRY OF DEFENCE (LORD MANCROFT)My Lords, preparatory work on the guided-missile range is now being carried out on the island of South Uist in the Hebrides. The Inverness County Council is undertaking certain road work on our behalf, and about 100 men of the Airfield. Construction Branch of the Royal Air Force are constructing a deep water wharf at Loch Carnan. The erection of a camp on Benbecula to house the labour force to be employed on South Uist is expected to start shortly. The precise scope of the Guided Weapons Establishment has not been finally determined, and therefore I cannot indicate at present the precise number of people to be employed in connection with its construction. The number might be about 3,000. I propose to visit South Uist myself in the near future.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKMy Lords, I beg to thank the noble Lord for his Answer. May I ask him whether, apart from any necessary security regulations, he can give an assurance that there will be no interference with the public right of entry into South Uist, Benbecula and North Uist? Further, could the Government give the assurance that the Service authorities on the islands—and I particularly say, all the islands—will have constant regard to the safeguarding, so far as is possible, of the interests of the crofting communities, the elements of Gaelic culture and all the rare bird life on the islands?
§ LORD MANCROFTMy Lords, I am very happy to give the noble Viscount that assurance.
LORD SALTOUNMy Lords, before this question is left, may I ask the noble Lord whether it is not the case that last August the Secretary of State promised that opportunity would be given for "lodging and consideration of objections"; that in September the Department assured the Highland Panel that an opportunity would be afforded for a public inquiry; that in October the Minister said that all interests affected would be informed and given every opportunity to lodge objections; that no time or place for the lodgement of these objections has ever yet been intimated, vet on December 10 the Department informed the Inverness County Council that no objections on the ground of public interest had been raised. If the noble Lord agrees with me that these facts are so, will be please tell me whether Edinburgh University had not intimated precisely such an objection, and will the noble Lord also state how Her Majesty's Government can claim that any of these promises have been fulfilled?
§ LORD MANCROFTThe procedure laid down in the White Paper on Needs of the Armed Forces for land for training and other, purposes was followed. In the opinion of Her Majesty's Government, there were no substantial objections on the ground of public interest remaining which would have justified a public local inquiry. But the last thing that the Government want to do is to override any genuine objections there may be, and I will certainly look most carefully into the 75 statement which the noble Lord has just made to make certain that no injustice has been perpetrated.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, while not desiring to interfere in any way with questions of local amenity and the like, may we be assured that proper attention is being given in the Answers to the security aspect? This is an important development, and it seems to me that giving figures of the men employed and the like may be a little dangerous.
§ LORD MANCROFTMy Lords, that point is always borne in mind. I gave the noble Viscount, Lord Elibank, only a rough idea of what might be involved, information which I think is already, in one way or another, in the hands of the public.
THE EARL OF HADDINGTONMy Lords, may I put a question to the noble Lord regarding the ancient monuments on these four islands? All four islands—North Uist, South Uist, Benbecula and St. Kilda—are embraced in the one scheme. I hope your Lordships will give me a moment's indulgence while I lead up to my question. When the scheme was first mooted, the Government gave an undertaking in this House that all facilities would be given for excavation work to be carried out before the range itself was laid down, and I aim glad to say that there has been a very happy liaison between the Ministry of Works and the Air Ministry. A great deal of valuable and important material for archælogy has been unearthed and recorded at West Geirinish in South Uist. There is a site in North Uist, which premises to be even more important and which will come just at the end of the proposed runway at Sollas, and this might well interfere with the landing of aircraft on the Sollas airfield. Could the noble Lard give special attention to this matter and try to let the excavation work proceed on this site before any demolition takes place, if such demolition must take place? The point is that time may be short.
§ LORD MANCROFTMy Lords, I think I am quite seized with the noble Lord's point and I can readily give him the assurance that we will continue to pay every possible attention to the needs of archæeologists in this area.