HC Deb 11 February 1970 vol 795 cc350-1W
Mr. Chichester-Clark

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement about the position of civilian employees of his Department at Royal Air Force Station, Ballykelly, following its proposed change of use.

Mr. Hattersley

As the hon. Member was informed in a Written Answer on 22nd July, 1968, it was expected at that time that civilian employment at Ballykelly would cease early in 1971. In my reply to the hon. Member for Belfast, West (Mr. Fitt) on 18th December, 1969, I said that we now plan to hand over R.A.F. Ballykelly, which is due to close in the spring or summer of 1971, to the Army. This will maintain some employment after the R.A.F. have left, though the Army's requirement for civilian employees will be considerably smaller than the number the R.A.F. now employ.—[Vol. 769, c. 35; Vol. 793, c.405–6.]