§ Mr. Hoosonasked the Secretary of State for Defence what provisions for consultation under the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, set out in the Department of the Environment Circular 7/77, are applicable in the case of an application by the United States Air Force to reactivate or change the status of any air base in the United Kingdom; and what provisions are inapplicable in such a case.
§ Mr. WellbelovedConsultation on the reactivation of a military airfield, including one by the USAF, would be made in accordance with paragraph 4 of the memorandum attached to the circular. Paragraphs inapplicable are those which are self-evidently inappropriate, for example paragraph 3. For the rest, the aim of consultation is the maximum possible exchange of information and the resolution of problems by the most suitable means, within the framework and the spirit of the memorandum.
§ Mr. Hoosonasked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received on any application by the United States Air Force to reactivate any base in the United Kingdom or to change the status of any base in the United Kingdom; and what action he has taken as a result.
§ Mr. WellbelovedThe only such application currently under consideration is the request by the United States Air Force to use RAF Greenham Common as a peacetime base for KC-135 tanker aircraft. My right hon. Friend has received views on this request from the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. McNair-Wilson) and other hon. Members; from the local authorities concerned and other local organisations; and from about 150 individual members of the public. These views will be taken into account before any decision on the US request is taken. My right hon. Friend has also agreed to meet a delegation led by the hon. Member for Newbury on 17th March.