§ Lord BachMy honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence ( Mr Ivor Caplin) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
A review has been undertaken of the defence requirement for the retention of Woolwich station. The review took account of our future ground-based air defence requirements, of the strategy for the rationalisation of the defence estate and of the recommendations of the Lyons review. It has concluded that the Ministry of Defence should relocate units currently based in Woolwich to sites yet to be decided. This will allow the Woolwich site to be made available for non-defence use. Further work is now needed on implementing this decision. All personnel affected have today been advised of our intention and they and their union representatives will be consulted fully as our plans develop.