§ Mr. Michael McNair-Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has received any application from the United States authorities to reopen RAF Greenham Common as a fully operational air base; whether any proposals along these lines have been or are being discussed by his officials and those of the United States Air Force; and, in the light of the assurance given by the Under-secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Air Force on 16th December 1976 in a letter to the hon. Member for Newbury that there was no intention to alter the standby status of RAF Greenham Common, if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WellbelovedMy right hon. Friend has received no such application. Officials of the Department have regular discussions with the United States authorities about the deployment in the United Kingdom of units of the United States Air Force, but such discussions are, of course, on a confidential basis. If an application to reopen RAF Greenham Common as a fully operational air base were received, it would be considered carefully in the light of all the relevant factors.