HC Deb 14 February 1992 vol 203 cc692-4W
Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether, as part of "Options for Change", a review has been carried out of the military estate in Scotland;

(2) if he will conduct a review of the land presently owned or leased by his Department in Scotland for military training purposes with a view to disposing of any that is surplus to requirements.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

The size of the defence estate is kept under constant review.

Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions and on what dates in the last five years for which information is available military training has taken place in Tentsmuir forest.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to the hon. Member.

Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether, when his Department leases land from the Forestry Commission in Scotland, a market value rent is paid.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

Yes.

Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the terms of the agreement between his Department and the Forestry Commission for the use of Tentsmuir forest for military training purposes.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

No formal agreement exists. Tentsmuir forest is used on an occasional basis and terms are negotiated for each period of use.

Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by region the heritable property(a) owned or (b) leased by his Department in Scotland.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

As at 1 April 1991, the total area, in hectares, of land and foreshore owned or leased by the Ministry of Defence in Scotland by region was:

Hectares
Highland 5,210
Strathclyde 5,200
Dumfries and Galloway 4,209
Grampian 2,207
Tayside 1,454
Western Isles 1,339
Fife 1,328
Lothian 1,160
Central 80
Shetland Islands 46

Hectares
Orkney Islands 5
Borders —

All areas of leased land included in the totals are subject to leases of three years or more; those of shorter duration are regarded as temporary and not recorded centrally. Totals exclude areas over which the Ministry of Defence has occasional training rights.