HC Deb 20 March 1984 vol 56 cc383-4W
Mr. Dalyell

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what price per acre Her Majesty's Government have paid, or are paying, for land bought for the new airfield in the Falkland Islands; what was the total cost of this land; and how the price per acre compares with that of similar land recently sold to non-governmental buyers;

(2) what existing facilities on the airport site in the Falkland Islands were taken into account in calculating the cost of land;

(3) if he will ask the Falkland Islands Company if it will donate land for the airport;

(4) what is the total acreage required for the building of the Falklands airport;

(5) what consideration Her Majesty's Government gave to using compulsory purchase powers in relation to land for the Falklands airport;

(6) what independent guidance was taken by Her Majesty's Government before agreeing the price for land purchased in relation to Falklands airport;

(7) when he hopes to sign the contract with the Falkland Islands Company for land in the Falklands for the airfield; and how the price will be arrived at;

(8) what is the compensation to be paid for severance of Falkland Islands Company land for the airport;

(9) what assessment he has made of the damage sustained to Falkland Islands Company property and earnings as a result of the construction of the airport;

(10) how Her Majesty's Government have calculated the value of similar land to that on which the Falkland Islands airport is constructed;

(11) what donations have been made by Chartres to Her Majesty's Government for land for an artillery range in the Falklands;

(12) to what extent, when considering the purchase of land for the Falkland Islands airport, he gave consideration to the principle that the price should reflect the price which would have been paid on an assessment of compensation in arbitration on compulsory purchase; and if he will make a statement;

(13) how, when the price of land in the Falkland Islands is being calculated, its productivity is measured; and in particular how the number of sheep that it could sustain is assessed.

Mr. Stanley

I shall answer shortly.

Mr. Dalyell

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the nature of the mines in the Falklands which make further clearance impossible.

Mr. Stanley

The FMK1 plastic anti-personnel mine.

Mr. Soames

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilians are employed by his Department in the Falkland Islands; and what are their duties.

Mr. Stanley

I shall answer shortly.