HL Deb 04 August 1971 vol 323 cc1154-6

2.50 p.m.

VISCOUNT MONCKTON of BRENCHLEY

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

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress the Defence Lands Committee, under Lord Nugent of Guildford has made so far.]

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, the Committee expects to have completed its first survey of all sites within its terms of reference by the autumn. It will then proceed with detailed examination of individual sites, including consideration of the many representations received from the general public and interested bodies. A preliminary review of coastal sites has been held by the Ministry of Defence and the Committee has confirmed that over 16 miles of coastline should be disposed of.

VISCOUNT MONCKTON OF BRENCHLEY

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that encouraging Answer. Can he tell us when the complete report will be ready? Secondly, if a decision has been taken to release 16 miles of coastline, is it to be done at once? Lastly, will he himself go down to Lulworth before a decision is taken on that important tank range?

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, I think it really is more for my noble friend Lord Nugent of Guildford to say when his Committee will report than for me. It is a formidable task. A great many different sites are involved and I should doubt whether the Committee would have concluded their Report before somewhere towards the end of next year. With regard to the sites which I have announced can be given up, we shall give them up as quickly as possible, but it will take a considerable time, because there are a number of procedures to go through. I have already been to the site at Lulworth.

LORD DAVIES OF LEEK

My Lords, while we are grateful for the Report of the noble Lord's Committee, may I ask whether the noble Lord, Lord Carrington, will try to see that some of these sites are reserved for camping sites for teenagers and others, because they would make excellent reserves for this purpose.

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, I am sure that that will be borne in mind, if and when any area is given up. What I am primarily concerned to see is that there are enough facilities for the Services to carry out their training and exercises. We do not want to keep any more land than we must and I hope that we shall be able to give up some in the light of my noble friend's report. What happens afterwards is not for me, but I am sure that what the noble Lord has said will be borne in mind.

LORD BURNTWOOD

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that in the middle 'fifties the Interdepartmental Committee was under pressure from the Opposition of that time to abolish sites and this had a disastrous effect on the occupation of land by the various Services? Is there not some reason to believe that there is some form of inter-Service jealousy as to the amount of land they hold? This seems to be important. So far as gunnery is concerned, I should have thought that there was a strong case for bringing together the various branches of the Army and the Navy to see that gunnery and the amount of land they occupy was rationalised.

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, I do not think that that is so, but even if it were true, I am sure that my noble friend Lord Nugent of Guildford would be able to see where there was jealousy and where there was common sense.

LORD SLATER

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that we gave our support when this inquiry was set up under the chairmanship of the noble Lord, Lord Nugent of Guildford? Does it take a period of twelve months for an investigation into this matter to take place? Public opinion has been roused by the amount of land which is standing unused at the present time and which ought to be put immediately into commission.

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, I hope that the noble Lord (I do not know whether he is speaking for the Opposition) and the Opposition still support the inquiry which I instituted. Those who have consented to serve on the Committee, including my noble friend Lord Nugent of Guildford, are not doing this work full time. They are part-time members and have a lot of other things to do. There are something like half a million acres more to examine, and I think it is unreasonable to expect a part-time body of this kind inquiring into this matter—which is of great importance both to the Services and to other interests, as the noble Lord, Lord Davies of Leek has said—to do too much at once. I hope that they will get along as quickly as possible but that they do the job properly.