§ Mr. Peter DuncanTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will retain external consultants to investigate the potential for future commercial development at West Freugh airfield. [45915]
§ Dr. Moonie[holding answer 25 March 2002]: The position has not changed since I answered a similar question from the hon. Member on 21 January 2002, Official Report, column 558W.
§ Mr. Peter DuncanTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria were used by the Airfield Regulator in assessing the safety of future operations at West Freugh airfield. [45916]
§ Dr. Moonie[holding answer 25 March 2002]: The criteria used by the Regulator to assess the safety of future operations at West Freugh airfield were the adequacy of safety infrastructure and the number of aircraft movements. Regulatory minima are set for both the overall number of movements and the number of fast jet movements in order to maintain the currency of air traffic controllers. The numbers of aircraft movements at West Freugh had fallen below these regulatory minima, leading to the decision to cease full-time airfield operations.
§ Mr. Peter DuncanTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many air traffic movements were handled at West Freugh airfield in each of the last five years; how many were(a) civilian and (b) military; and of the military movements, from which countries they were from. [45918]
§ Dr. Moonie[holding answer 25 March 2002]: The following aircraft movements took place at West Freugh between 1997 and 2001:
Date Military Civilian Total 1997 5,946 5,694 11,640 1998 4,636 7,208 11,844 1999 7,236 1,152 8,388 2000 5,976 — 5,976 2001 3,186 — 3,186 The figures shown do not include overflights. The bulk of military movements shown are in support of the United Kingdom armed forces activities. Foreign aircraft movements are not identified separately in our records.
§ Mr. Peter DuncanTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when, prior to the announcement of 20 March on closure of the airfield, the next scheduled re-surfacing of the West Freugh airstrip was due to be completed; and at what projected cost. [45975]
§ Dr. Moonie[holding answer 25 March 2002]: Two programmes of re-surfacing work were recommended for 2002 and 2003 at an estimated cost of about £1.6 1018W million and £0.19 million respectively. However, neither task was included in the maintenance plan and completion dates were not allocated.