MOD Land (Access) (Hansard, 21 March 2002)

§ Mr. Hancock
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the changes necessary to open up his Department's land to disabled people; and if he will make a statement. [44639]

§ Dr. Moonie
A pilot audit was undertaken using the BT millennium miles scheme that led to the upgrading of a track and path to improve wheelchair access, and more are planned. New paths have been constructed at
446W
taken place on the Eskmeals and Kirkcudbright training areas over the last five years and the regiments that have been involved. [43424]

§ Dr. Moonie
The training exercises (broken down by type of training) that have taken place on Kirkcudbright training area within the last five years, and the formations or units that have been involved are shown in the table:
Sennybridge, including one that will permit wheelchair access. This, together with paths at Lulworth, and Elstead Common, Longmoor, is promoted as "Easy-going Trails" in the fourth edition of "Walks on MOD Lands" and in the "Access" section of the DE website.

§ Mr. Hancock
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the public annually used the public access areas on his Department's land in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [44638]

§ Dr. Moonie
No comprehensive surveys have been carried out to establish the numbers of visitors who access the defence estate, However, in January 2002, as a first step in meeting the targets set by the estate strategy "In Trust and on Trust" (published in June 2000), pilot visitors surveys were carried out at the Aldershot training 447W area and Willsworthy Ranges. These provided promising results, but need to be developed further before they are used elsewhere at suitable Ministry of Defence sites.

§ Mr. Hancock
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment has been made of public access to his Department's land; and if he will make a statement. [44637]

§ Dr. Moonie
There is a presumption in favour of access to the defence estate wherever this is compatible with operational and military training uses, public safety, security, conservation, and the interests of Ministry of Defence's tenants. This policy was set out in 2000 in the estate strategy "In Trust and on Trust" together with a number of objectives in respect of access and recreation.
A number of pilot studies have been carried out in furtherance of those objectives: at Willsworthy Ranges and Aldershot training area on visitor numbers, and two at Lulworth, on path conditions and applying the BT millennium miles scheme. This led to the upgrading of tracks at Lulworth to improve wheelchair access. Similar studies will be carried out elsewhere. A fourth edition of the booklet "Walks on MOD Lands", was published and the updated "Access" section of the defence estates website went live in November 2001.
These initiatives have been developed in conjunction with a variety of external stakeholders, and reflect the Ministry of Defence's continuing commitment to improving public access to the defence estate.