§ Mr. Chichester-Clarkasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilians his Department employs at Royal Air Force Station Ballykelly; how this compares with December, 1967; and what estimate he has made of the number likely to be employed there by 1st January, 1970 and thereafter.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesThere are now 230 Ministry of Defence civilians at Ballykelly, compared with 240 in December, 1967. The best assessment which can be made at this stage is that there will be36W about 210 on 1st January, 1970, and about 170 in the middle of 1970, reducing to nil early in 1971.
§ Mr. Chichester-Clarkasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) to what use he proposes to put land and property owned by his Department at Royal Air Force Station Ballykelly in 1970, when the station is due to become non-operational.
(2) what further consideration he has given to the proposed closure of Royal Air Force Station Ballykelly; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesI regret that, despite careful examination, we are unable to find another Service task for Ballykelly when the Shackleton squadrons are disbanded. It has, therefore, been offered in the usual way, to other United Kingdom and Northern Ireland Government Departments.