HC Deb 03 December 1991 vol 200 cc84-6W
Mr. O'Neill

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reassessment has taken place of the maintenance requirements for service helicopters as part of "Options for Change".

Mr. Archie Hamilton

Future arrangements for the maintenance of service helicopters are under consideration as part of our review of the support area.

Mr. O'Neill

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the base closures or reorganisations that have been announced as part of the "Options for Change" study.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

All significant base closures or reorganisations arising from the "Options for Change" study and which have been announced are as follows.

Other announcements have been made such as the closure of RAF Kemble, but these are not included as they do not form part of the "Options for Change" exercise.

RN

  • HMS Royal Arthur—Close
  • RN diesel repair depot Blackbrook Farm—Close
  • HMS St. Vincent—Close
  • HMS Daedalus—Close/relocate facilities
  • Nelson (Gunwharf)—Close/relocate
  • Proposals announced but awaiting final decision following consultation:
  • Rosyth Naval Base—Reduce to operating base for Minor War Vessels
  • RNSD Copenacre—Close storage facilities
  • RNAD Trecwn—Close
  • RNAD Ernsettle—Transfer weapons processing
  • OFD Invergordon—Close
  • Royal Naval Reserve Units and Royal Naval Auxiliary Service establishment affected:
  • HMS Hallam—Closure of Royal Naval Reserve Unit
  • HMS Paragon—Closure of Royal Naval Reserve Unit
  • HMS Palatine—Closure of Royal Naval Reserve Unit
  • HMS Essex—Closure of Royal Naval Reserve Unit
  • HMS President—Reduced capacity
  • HMS Camperdown—Reduced capacity
  • Isle of Man—Closure of Royal Naval Auxiliary Service establishment
  • Broughton Moor—Closure of Royal Naval Auxiliary Service establishment
  • Stornaway—Closure of Royal Naval Auxiliary Service establishment
  • Scarborough—Closure of Royal Naval Auxiliary Service establishment
  • Stranraer—Closure of Royal Naval Auxiliary Service establishment
  • Lowestoft—Closure of Royal Naval Auxiliary Service establishment
  • Canterbury—Closure of Royal Naval Auxiliary Service establishment

RAF

  • RAF Honington—Transfer 13 Squadron to Marham
  • RAF West Raynham—Probable closure
  • RAF Marham—Transfer in 2 Tornado Squadrons
  • RAF Wattisham—Disband 2 Phantom Squadrons.
  • RAF Cranwell—Expand Basic Flying Training School activities
  • RAF Swinderby—Delete RAF Elementary Flying Training School
  • RAF Kinloss—Co-locate Nimrod Maritime Patrol Aircraft operations
  • RAF Lossiemouth—Replace 2 Buccaneer Squadrons with 2 Tornado Squadrons
  • RAF Abingdon—Close/Transfer
  • RAF St. Athan—Transfer in Engineering/Servicing for Jaguar/Hawk/VC10+civilianisation
  • RAF St. Mawgan—Transfer out of Nimrod Maritime Patrol Aircraft operations
  • RAF Church Fenton—Close
  • RAF Linton on Ouse—Expand Basic Flying Training School activities
  • RAF Topcliffe—Add RAF Elementary Flying Training School activities
  • RAF Catterick—Change of RAF Regiment Squadrons
  • RAF Cutersloh—Close
  • RAF Wildenrath—Close
  • RAF Laarbruch—Disband 3 Tornado GR1 Squadrons
  • RAF Hullavington—Close

Army

  • Bramcote—Transfer in Army Junior Leaders Regiment
  • Aldershot—Transfer out RAMC—Phase 1 Training
  • Arborfield—Transfer out Training Battalion and depot REME—Phase 1 Training
  • Dover—Transfer out Army Junior Leaders Regiment. RE
  • Pirbright—Transfer in Army Junior School of Music Training Battalion and depot REME—Phase 1 Training
  • Lichfield—Transfer in of RAMC—Phase 1 Training
    • 86
  • Scarborough—Close TA Training Camp
  • Shorncliffe—Transfer out Army Junior Leaders Regiment
  • Brecon—HQ Wales District subsumed into new Wales and Western District—Transfer HQ to Shrewsbury
  • Chester—HQ 42 Infantry Brigade to move to Preston
  • Preston—HQ Western District subsumed into new Wales and Western District—Transfer HQ to Shrewsbury
  • York—HQ of new Army Eastern District on site of former North Eastern District HQ
  • Colerne—Transfer out of Army Junior Leaders Regiment RCT/RAOC
  • Bovington—Transfer in of Army Junior Leaders Regiment RCT/RAOC

One or more barracks or installations will be released in the following places in Germany:

  • Hildesheim
  • Woelfenbutel
  • Hameln
  • Hannover
  • Verden
  • Celle
  • Soltau
  • Muenster-Oertze
  • Bielefeld
  • Dusseldorf
  • Krefeld
  • Duisberg
  • Muelheim
  • Dortmund
  • Hemer
  • Iserlohn
  • Menden
  • Hamm
  • Werl
  • Soest
  • Paderborn
  • Detmold
  • Lemgo
  • Meenchengladbach
  • Herford
  • Bunde
  • Luebbecke
  • Minden

The following Army logistics support establishments will close:

  • Moenchengladbach—37 Rhine workshops
  • Recklinghausen—Forward Vehicle Depot
  • Krefeld—232 Mobile Civilian Engineer Group
  • Viersen—Ordnance services and associated Supply Depot
  • Willich—40 Army Engineer Support Group
  • —64(RCZ) Workshop
  • Antwerp—Ordnance Depot and other units at Antwerp Station.

For information relating to regimental mergers and restructuring I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Bexleyheath (Mr. Townsend) on 11 November at columns 338–40.

Mr. O'Neill

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the bases that are currently being examined as part of the "Options for Change" study.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

"Options for Change" entails a major restructuring of the armed forces with implications across the whole range of defence activities and infrastructure. All establishments are considered as part of this work and any decisions will be announced in the usual way.