§ Ms Rachel SquireTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the employment implications to Fife and Scotland of a possible closure of Rosyth naval base; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Stewart[holding answer 18 April 1994]: There are currently some 1,600 civilians working in Rosyth naval base and some 2,700 Navy personnel either working in the naval base and the immediate vicinity or based on ships operating from Rosyth. Under present plans, stemming from decisions taken in 1992, the number of civilian employees will be reduced to 1,300 and the number of Navy personnel to around 2,300 by 1 April 1995.
As the Secretary of State for Defence has made clear, all relevant factors will be taken into account before any decisions are made on recommendations arising from the naval infrastructure study and other defence costs studies. It is too early to speculate on the outcome for Rosyth or any other naval base.