§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what response he has received from the National Trust to his request for permission to erect military installations on National Trust land in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FreemanThe MOD approached the National Trust last year in relation to two projects connected with the upgrading of tracking and safety facilities for the Royal Aircraft Establishment Aberporth range in Cardigan bay. One project requires the provision of a mast and instrumentation system to cover the northern area of the range and, for this purpose, the MOD sought to lease a small area of National Trust land at Mynydd Rhiw. The second project involves the modernisation of a number of existing tracking stations around the bay. The MOD approached the National Trust about improvements to the access to two of these sites which adjoin National Trust land and about safety aspects of a third site. The National Trust turned down the Ministry's proposals just before Christmas and we are now considering this in relation to our plans for the development of the range.