§ Mr. LuffTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on changes in the ownership of land at and adjacent to Throckmorton airfield since 1992 with reference to the Crichel Down rules. [57337]
§ Mr. IngramSince 1992 the Ministry of Defence has not recorded any sales of land at Throckmorton airfield although some leases have been completed in areas of land and buildings. Most of the Throckmorton site, formerly known as DERA Pershore, is now owned by QinetiQ. The remainder of the site, used last year to deal with some of the consequences of the foot and mouth outbreak, is in the final stages of being transferred to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
All of the property sold to QinetiQ was exempted from the provisions of the Crichel Down rules under provision 14.6 concerning the transfer of Government functions to the private sector.