Edzell Base (Hansard, 5 February 1996)

§ Mr. Welsh
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what studies he has commissioned regarding the effects of closure of Edzell base on the local economy; and if he will make a statement; [13687]
(2) what forms of (a) financial and (b) other assistance from his Department will be available to address the effects of the closure of Edzell base; [13691]
(3) what additional finance he has provided to (a) Edzell base and (b) the local economy during the transition phase to closure; and if he will make a statement. [13686]

§ Mr. Kynoch
The Scottish Office has assisted in planning for the rundown through membership of the Ministry of Defence joint working group and the Edzell task force. In addition, the Scottish Office contributed to the costs of a consultancy study, assessing the likely impact of the closure, which has been commissioned on behalf of the task force. The need for additional finance from the Scottish Office or any other source to address the effects of the closure of the Edzell base can be assessed only once the consultancy report has been considered and proposals to tackle any problems have been developed. The task force will be considering the consultants' draft report shortly.

§ Mr. Welsh
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whom he has met to discuss the closure of the Edzell base; what alternative uses have been proposed for the base after its closure; and if he will make a statement. [13689]

§ Mr. Kynoch
My right hon. Friend has not been involved in any meetings specifically concerned with the closure of the RAF base at Edzell. However, he is represented by officials on the Ministry of Defence joint working group, which is considering issues related to the disposal of the base. In addition, a Scottish Office official chairs the Edzell task force, which is considering the need for measures to address the impact of the closure on the local economy. Several possible alternative uses for the base have been proposed by members of the public and bodies with an interest in the area. The task force provides an appropriate forum in which to consider these suggestions.

§ Mr. Welsh
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimates he has made of(a) the employment and (b) other economic effects arising from the closure of Edzell base. [13688]

§ Mr. Kynoch
When the closure was announced in July 1995, Scottish Office economists prepared a rough estimate, based on limited provisional information, of the likely impact of the closure on local employment and unemployment. This suggested a reduction in employment of about 400 and a likely increase of about 270 in registered unemployment in the Brechin and Montrose travel-to-work area. Consultants commissioned on behalf of the Edzell task force are currently preparing more refined estimates, based on the results of local surveys, and the preliminary indication is that the initial estimates overstate both the loss of jobs and the impact on unemployment.
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§ Mr. Welsh
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has made to the United States authorities regarding the retention of infrastructure, buildings and other assets after the closure of the Edzell base. [13690]

§ Mr. Kynoch
My right hon. Friend has made no direct representations to the United States authorities regarding the retention of infrastructure, buildings and other assets after the closure of the RAF base at Edzell. However, my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces wrote to the United States ambassador in July 1995 on a range of issues, including the infrastructure to be retained at Edzell, relevant to minimising the impact of the closure. On behalf of my right hon. Friend, I also wrote to the ambassador in July expressing my support for the approach taken in the letter from my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces. The response from the ambassador confirms my expectation that the United States authorities will adopt a flexible approach on these issues.