Golf Courses (Hansard, 22 February 1995)

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for how much the golf courses at(a) Whittington barracks, Lichfield, (b) RAF Binbrook, (c) RAF Swinderby and (d) RAF Halton were (i) valued at prior to sale and (ii) sold.

§ Mr. Soames
It is not my Department's practice to disclose the sale price of sites which is commercial in confidence to the purchaser.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which aspects of military training involve the use of land on which golf courses are situated.

§ Mr. Soames
The training aspects carried out are: navigation and map reading, fieldcraft, distance judging, fitness training, low-level tactics and surveying techniques.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the composition by rank of each of the golf clubs sited on his Department's land;
(2) how many members are there at each of the golf courses sited on his Department's land;
(3) what is the management structure and what remuneration for management is involved in respect of those golf courses sited on his Department's land which are not leased out to private golf clubs;
(4) how much is the subscription fee charged for membership of each of the golf clubs situated on his Department's land for (a) service personnel, (b) civilian staff and (c) civilians otherwise unconnected to his Department.

§ Mr. Soames
No central record is held of the membership details, subscription fees and management arrangements of the clubs which use golf courses sited on land owned by my Department. It will take a little time for this information to be assembled. My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence will write to the hon. Member when the information is available and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the golf courses sited on his Department's land in the United Kingdom are leased to private golf clubs; and, of these, how many cater exclusively for civilians otherwise unconnected with his Department.

§ Mr. Soames
Two of the courses sited on land owned by my Department, at Tenby and Canterbury, are leased to private golf clubs. The membership of those clubs is not a matter for my Department.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to whom the golf course at(a) Whittington Barracks, Lichfield, (b) RAF Binbrook, (c) RAF Swinderby and (d) RAF Halton were sold.

§ Mr. Soames
The course at Wittington barracks was sold to the Whittington barracks golf club; the course at RAF Binbrook was part of a larger site sold to S.U.N. (Binbrook) Ltd. and C. J. M. Cottingham Ltd., and the RAF Halton course was sold to the Chiltern Forest Golf Club Ltd. My noble friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence will write to the hon. Member about the course at RAF Swinderby.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which golf courses are at present being considered for disposal.
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§ Mr. Soames
The courses at Tenby, North Luffenham and Strensall near York are being considered for disposal.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at how much each of three golf courses being considered for disposal have been valued.

§ Mr. Soames
It is not my Department's practice to discuss the commercial value of sites being considered for disposal as this could prejudice negotiations on their sale.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which section of his Department receives the £63,000 accrued from the leasing to private clubs of golf courses sited on his Department's land.

§ Mr. Soames
Receipts from lettings and licences for use of facilities on the defence estate accrue to the budget holder with management responsibility for the site.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the names and locations of the 23 golf courses sited on his Department's land in the United Kingdom.

§ Mr. Soames
The following golf courses are sited on land owned by my Department in the United Kingdom:

Tidworth Garrison Golf Course, Tidworth, Hants

Upavon Golf Course, Upavon, Wilts

Canterbury Golf Club, Sandwich, Kent

Tenby Golf Club, Penally, Dyfed

Catterick Garrison Golf Club, North Yorkshire

York Golf Club, Strensall, York

Bassingbourne Golf Course, Royston, Herts

Waterbeach Golf Course, Cambs

Wattisham Golf Course, Ipswich, Suffolk

Wimbish Golf Course, Carver Barracks, Essex

Army Golf Club, Aldershot, Hants

Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment, Chertsey, Surrey

Royal Military College of Science Shrivenham, Swindon, Wiltshire

RAF Benson, Oxon

Woodhall Spa, RAF Coningsby, Lincoln

RAF Cottesmore, Leicestershire

RAF Henlow, Bucks

RAF North Luffenham, Leicestershire

RAF Odiham, Basingstoke, Hants

RAF Waddington, Lincoln

RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk

Southwick Golf Course, HMS Dryad, Southwick, Hants

Royal Naval Aircraft Yard, Fleetland, Hants

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the security implications of allowing civilian golfers otherwise unconnected with his Department to use golf courses sited on land owned by his Department

§ Mr. Soames
I am satisfied that the security arrangements in place for the use of golf courses on my Department's land are satisfactory.