§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what representations he has received on redeployment from Dishforth Airfield to Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, and for disposal or re-use of Dishforth Airfield; [137703]
(2) if he will make a statement on the long-term future for RAF Dishforth. [137705]
§ Mr. SpellarThe primary occupier of the former RAF Dishforth (now Dishforth Airfield) is 9 Regiment Army Corps (9 Reg AAC), a Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) unit. The JHC is currently engaged in carrying out an estates rationalisation study and one of the options is to re-deploy all helicopters and manpower from Dishforth Airfield to Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton. The study is due to report in autumn 2001 and no decisions on the redeployment of manpower currently based at Dishforth or the disposal or re-use of Dishforth Airfield will be made until then. In the meantime, no representations have been received on the future of Dishforth, except for the hon. Member's own letter to me of 6 November.
§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military and civilian posts there are at Dishforth Airfield. [137704]
§ Mr. SpellarThere are currently 383 military posts and 39 civilian posts at Dishforth Airfield. By April 2001 these numbers will rise to 538 military posts and 43 civilian posts. There are a further 58 civilian staff currently employed by Sodexho, the site contractor. Military personnel are also deployed from time to time from RAF Linton-on-Ouse, as requested.