HC Deb 24 May 2002 vol 386 c615W
Mr. David Stewart

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria are applied to the commercial use by private firms of RAF stations. [59229]

Mr. Ingram

Under the Government's Wider Markets Initiative, the RAF seeks to maximise use of irreducible spare capacity. Sustained commercial activity on an RAF station is usually exposed to full and open competition. Short-term use of the Ministry of Defence assets, including its estate, is subject to an appropriate licence, lease or contract. In all circumstances, military operations would retain primacy.

Mr. David Stewart

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent approaches have been made by private airlines to develop commercial civilian services from(a) RAF Kinross and (b) RAF Lossiemouth. [59228]

Mr. Ingram

No formal proposals have been put forward by airline companies for the development of commercial civilian services from RAF Kinloss and RAF Lossiemouth.