§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has concluded his review of the work of the Royal Naval armaments depots at Trecwn and Milford Haven; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FreemanAs my hon. Friend will know, the MOD has for some time been studying the future of several defence activities in Wales. These studies have now been concluded.
A study has recently been completed into the future roles and tasks of RNADs Milford Haven and Trecwn. I am releasing today a consultative document, which concludes that RNAD Milford Haven should be closed, because the task allotted to it has substantially declined in recent years. The work force, trades unions and local authorities will be given a full opportunity to comment on the document before I decide what the depofs future will be. The reduction of the task given to the Trecwn district will also affect RNAD Trecwn which is to be the subject of further study. Meanwhile, I am arranging for copies of the consultative document to be placed in the Library of the House.
A review has also been completed recently on the scope for rationalisation of the various single service forms and publications stores. I have now decided, subject to consultation with the trades; unions, that all the stores will be transferred from their existing locations to form a centralised organisation at the former RNSD at Llangennech. The stores are currently located at the Central Ordnance depot, Donnington, Royal Arsenal west, Woolwich, and Her Majesty's Naval base, Portsmouth. The proposal is to colocate all activities at the former RNSD by early 1991, leading to a projected annual saving of about £1.2 million. The colocation of the forms and publication stores at Llangennech should provided around 250 new jobs in the area, most of which would be filled through local recruitment.