HL Deb 23 February 1987 vol 485 cc4-6

2.45 p.m.

Lord Merrivale

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

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are satisfied that the planning procedures in Gibraltar are adequate to safeguard its heritage when they make defence lands available to the Gibraltar Government for development.

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, the safeguarding of Gibraltar's heritage is a domestic matter for the Government of Gibraltar, as is the use of defence lands that are transferred to them; similarly, responsibility for planning procedures rests with that Government.

Lord Merrivale

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that not unexpected reply. Is he aware that the proposal to build a hotel on top of Engineers Battery has been approved in spite of the 1982 report Save Gibraltar's Heritage, which states that it would be a disaster in scenic terms? As planning policies and individual planning decisions are not open to public discussion, because there is now no legal redress in planning matters, will the Minister be willing to consider attaching conditions when MoD land surplus to requirements is transferred?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I do not think it would be appropriate for us to proceed as my noble friend suggests. The Government of Gibraltar are responsible for these matters and we have no power to direct them, if that is what my noble friend has in mind, or for that matter to impose what we know they would find unacceptable conditions upon the transfer of the land. The availability of land in Gibralter is very strictly limited and thus sites for development, even important developments of the kind that my noble friend refers to, are hard to find.

Lord Irving of Dartford

My Lords, can the noble Lord say whether the Government of Gibraltar have indicated a wish to develop at any places other than Rosia Bay and Queensway; whether there is anticipated to be a significant increase in employment; what the development costs will be and whether the British Government are contributing to those development costs?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, the Government are not directly responsible for providing money for these developments, but we generally transfer the land free of charge, and that is a considerable contribution.

Lord Molloy

My Lords, is the Minister aware that the Gibraltarians are very proud of their heritage and their close links with the United Kingdom? We hope, for example, that the Barbary apes will not be endangered by any developments, but if there should be any cause for the Government to be apprehensive will they proffer assistance and guidance if that is necessary?

Lord Trefgarne

Yes indeed, my Lords. The Government are always willing to offer advice to the Gibraltar Government on this matter, but I emphasise that it is only advice. Indeed, we sit on the committee that deals with these things. That committee is called the development and planning commission, which has four Gibraltarians and two British members as the voting committee.

Lord Merrivale

My Lords, does the Minister recognise that there is a precedent for attaching conditions, as a condition was imposed when the old command education centre was tranferred in May 1975?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I think that if we were to attach such a condition these days it would be regarded as undesirable.

Lord Leatherland

My Lords, can the Minister assure us that Gibraltar will still be of use to us as part of our defence organisation?

Lord Trefgarne

Yes of course, my Lords. Although the dockyard is now under commercial management in Gibraltar, Gibraltar remains a very worthwhile and useful facility for the Royal Navy. Indeed, even the dockyard itself is currently undertaking quite a bit of Royal naval work.