§ Mr. Juddasked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of his consultations to date about the proposed British Underwater Test and Evaluation Centre on the west coast of Scotland with the local population, local fishing interests, local authorities and others likely to be affected; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BuckThe formal process of consultations is undertaken on our behalf by my colleagues in the Scottish Departments. I am, however, grateful for this opportunity to state the very full part which has been played by my own Department.
Consultation over the establishment of the British Underwater Test and Evaluation Centre—BUTEC—started formally when the Ministry of Defence notified the Scottish Development Department in November 1970 of its wish to establish 531W in the Inner Sound of Raasay an underwater acoustic tracking range, including hydrophones placed on the sea-bed linked by cable to the land.
A variety of consultations then commenced which culminated in letters in March 1971 to the two county councils and to the Highlands and Islands Development Board—HIDB—in which the Scottish Development Department set out Ministry of Defence requirements. These were divided into two parts; in the short term, there would be interim ship-mounted range facilities; in the longer term, the bottom-mounted range was under consideration. These letters sought the views of those concerned.
A meeting with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland—DAFS—and a cross-section of fishery interests was held in Kyle of Lochalsh in April, 1971, at which the Ministry of Defence proposals were fully described. Between then and June, 1971, a wide variety of consultations were held specifically with sea-going interests in the area, namely, the West Highland School of Adventure, Applecross; Ships Husband Schooner Office, Plockton; fishery officers at Mallaig and Ullapool; and fishery interests generally at the Kyle of Lochalsh, Gairloch and Portree.
This phase of activity culminated in a Scottish Office Press notice in June, 1971,
Date Place Sponsor Type of Meeting 14th July Inverness Ross and Cromarty County Council Private. 9th August Kyle ,, Private. 1st September Dingwall ,, Private; plus HIDB. 25th September Kyle ,, Public. 7th October Kyle ,, Fishermen. 13th October Portree Inverness County Council Fishermen. 16th October Dingwall Ross and Cromarty County Council Planning and Development Committee; public admitted. 20th October Dingwall ,, Firk Council. 13th November Dingwall ,, Private; plus HIDB. 23rd November Portree Inverness County Council Public. There have been numerous other consultations, both formal and informal. The most recent of those, which was not attended by Royal Navy representatives, was that between a delegation of fishermen from Kyle and Applecross and officials of the Scottish Development Department and DAFS in Edinburgh on 27th November.
This record of consultation demonstrates the continuing concern of the Ministry of Defence to ensure that local interests are fully consulted, in order to
532Wwhich described both the short-term Ministry of Defence proposals and the longer-term intention. In that month, the Scottish Development Department, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Scotland, reported that, from the standpoint of public interest and from the planning point of view, the Ministry of Defence was free to proceed with its proposal for the interim ship-mounted range.
The longer-term project was to be raised at such time as the Ministry of Defence had secured approval in principle from Defence Ministers.
A further Scottish Office Press release in September, 1972, notified Admiralty Board's approval to the establishment of permanent range facilities in the Sound with a shore-based facility at Kyle of Lochalsh and said that the Scottish Development Department would now be consulting Ross and Cromarty County Council and other interested bodies about the proposal.
The principal authorities consulted in the event by the Scottish Development Department were:
- Highlands and Islands Development Board.
- Inverness County Council.
- Ross and Cromarty County Council.
The programme of major consultations during 1972 which involved Royal Navy representatives either before or after this second Press notice is set out below:
minimise the effect upon them of our proposals. During the course of these consultations, the likelihood that some 80 to 90 permanent jobs would be created for local people was pointed out.