HL Deb 25 July 1974 vol 353 cc1856-7

3.7 p.m.

LORD MERRIVALE

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 to what extent the military airfield at Gibraltar has been used over the last two years (a) by the R.A.F. and (b) by the Air Forces of other NATO powers for training or familiarisation flights; staging purposes; and in participation of NATO or national exercises held in the area.

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS)

My Lords, during the last two years the airfield at Gibraltar has been used regularly by British military aircraft and occasionally by military aircraft of other NATO Countries. Approximately three-quarters of the total military aircraft movements were training and familiarisation flights or flights in connection with exercises and operations.

LORD MERRIVALE

My Lords, while thanking the Minister for that reply, may I ask him whether he is aware that on June 5, 1972, the then Secretary of State for Defence, my noble friend Lord Carrington, sitting below me, stated in a Written Answer: Her Majesty's Government agree that Gibraltar holds a key position of strategic importance, and SACEUR shares this view". [OFFICIAL REPORT, Vol. 331, col. 150.] Would the noble Lord therefore agree that greater use could be made of the military airfield, bearing in mind that the Air Commander's responsibilities in peacetime include participation in NATO and national exercises, and also bearing in mind the maintenance there of support facilities for aircraft staging through Gibraltar?

LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, I certainly agree that the present use of Gibraltar for both military and civilian purposes—the civilian use is rather in excess of the military use—should be maintained; and I see no reason to divert from the Answer given to the noble Lord by the noble Lord sitting below him and opposite me.

LORD FOOT

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that we are grateful to the noble Lord who asked this Question for identifying Lord Carrington?

LORD MERRIVALE

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether he could give precise figures, as in effect were given in the Third Report of the Expenditure Committee in the 1972–73 Session, where, in relation to Gibraltar, it gave the number of warships of the Royal Navy visiting Gibraltar and also the number of warships from other NATO Powers? One, therefore, had a very definite idea of the extent that Gibraltar was used by the navies of NATO.

LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, that is a somewhat different question which, if the noble Lord will put it down, either I or my noble friend the Under-Secretary for Defence will endeavour to answer. The present Question relates entirely to the use of Gibraltar by aircraft.

LORD MERRIVALE

My Lords, I am sorry to press this point, but what I was asking was whether the information could be given in the same form for aircraft as it has been given for warships.

LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS

Yes, indeed, my Lords. I have a certain amount of information by me now, but perhaps it would be more convenient if I made it available in that form to the noble Lord and possibly for the use of your Lordships generally.