§ Mr. ViggersTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of plans to promote the historic heritage at Greenwich by co-ordinating the activities of the National Maritime Museum and the new owners of Greenwich hospital. [7816]
§ Dr. ReidThe Greenwich Foundation for the Royal Naval college is working alongside the National Maritime Museum and other organisations to plan both for the development of the proposed World Heritage site, to which the Royal Naval college is central, and to develop plans for the display of the history of the college itself.
§ Mr. ViggersTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the present position and the planned time scale in respect of the transfer of Greenwich Hospital to new owners. [7817]
§ Dr. ReidThe Ministry of Defence will cease use of the Royal Naval college Greenwich progressively up to mid-1999. Following the departure of the Joint Defence and Royal Navy Staff colleges this summer, the Department of Nuclear Science and Technology will cease training at Greenwich in late 1998. MOD occupation is planned to cease in mid-1999 on completion of the decommissioning of JASON, the small teaching reactor. The Greenwich Foundation for the Royal Naval college is negotiating with the Director of Greenwich hospital on the terms of a lease by which it will hold the site, with potential occupants, and is working closely with staffs in my Department and in the Department of National Heritage, with the aim of taking over the site progressively as MOD use ceases.