§ Mr. MacdonaldTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many simulated attacks on Stornoway airport are scheduled during Exercise Elder Forest 90.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonNone.
§ Mr. MacdonaldTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress in the phase II construction work at Stornoway airport.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonConstruction of new fuel installations at Stornoway started in 1989, and work on a new fuel jetty and pipeline began in January this year; both are due for completion in early 1991. Planning is well advanced for work on nine aircraft shelters and associated support facilities, which is expected to start at the end of this year and be completed in late 1992; some additional work on upgrading elements of the airfield infrastructure will be carried out in the same period.
§ Mr. MacdonaldTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the numbers and types of aircraft to be deployed at Stornoway airport for Exercise Elder Forest 90, the units to which these aircraft belong and the dates of their arrival at and departure from Stornoway;
833W(2) what are the earliest and latest times of the day when flying activity is scheduled for jet aircraft deployed at Stornoway airport for Exercise Elder Forest 90; and whether any activity outside those times will be permitted.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThere are no plans to deploy military aircraft to Stornoway airport during Exercise Elder Forest 90, which is scheduled from 23 to 27 April. However, a number of Tornado F3 aircraft will use the airport as a turnround base during the exercise. It is not possible to specify in advance the numbers of aircraft, the units involved, or the arrival and departure times; these will depend upon how the exercise develops. There are, however, no plans to use the airport outside the hours of 8 am to 10 pm.