HC Deb 18 November 1996 vol 285 cc396-7W
Mr. Madden

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will arrange for right hon. and hon. Members to be given access to Menwith Hill station in North Yorkshire. [4581]

Mr. Soames

No. Access to RAF Menwith Hill by right hon. and hon. Members to receive briefings on the station facilities are generally not permitted on the grounds of disruption to the operational activities of the station and for security reasons.

Mr. Madden

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilians have been invited during the past year to visit Menwith Hill station in North Yorkshire. [4582]

Mr. Soames

Approximately 3,800 civilians have visited RAF Menwith Hill within the last year in connection with social and educational events or for local planning reasons. This includes visits by local authority representatives, sports teams, charities, local schools and clubs and those who attended the 4 July open day. Such visits are generally confined to weekends and evenings to ensure they do not impact on the operational activity of the station and access is limited purely to the domestic, recreational and other unrestricted areas of the base.

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