§ 88. Mr. Rossasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he will make a statement on the proposed North 53W Atlantic Treaty Organisation's airbase in the west of Scotland.
§ Mr. T. G. D. GalbraithI assume the hon. Member is referring to the Naval Air Station at Machrihanish which my predecessor told the House on 21st November, 1956, was being considered as a N.A.T.O. airfield. It has now been decided to go ahead with development. The preparatory work has now reached the stage where planning clearance has been given and the Admiralty have approached landowners about the land which has to be acquired for the development.
The main features of the development will be the extension of the main runway in an easterly direction, the construction of a jetty at Campbeltown, and the construction of a tow road skirting Campbeltown for taking aircraft from the jetty to the airfield.