Article from BTNews 16 JULY 2018
Concern over airfields
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on General Aviation (APPG) has expressed concern about “significant disparities” between the outcome of a meeting with the defence minister Tobias Ellwood and his subsequent letter to the organisation.
The APPG says the minister, in a meeting with group chairman Grant Shapps, pledged to look again at Ministry of Defence plans to sell off 15 military aerodromes across the UK.
However, the group says the minister’s follow-up letter failed to acknowledge many of the outcomes of the meeting, including working with the Department for Transport in its strategic review of the general aviation sector. The APPG says it has now written back to the minister asking how the commitments from the meeting are being progressed.
Shapps said: “Our meeting was worthwhile and extracted some helpful commitments. These included supporting continued aviation use at the 15 military aerodromes being disposed of, where possible, so parliamentarians were very concerned to see no mention of these commitments in the minister’s follow-up letter.”
The aerodrome sites planned for disposal in the years indicated include Abingdon (2029), Alconbury (2023), Arbroath (2020), Brawdy (2024), Chivenor (2027), Colerne (2018) and Dishforth (2031).
Also listed are Halton (2022), Henlow (2020), Mildenhall (2024), Molesworth (2024), North Luffenham (2021), Wethersfield (2020), Woodbridge (2027) and Wyton (2018).
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Graham Greenwood, United Kingdom
Typical of the tory government, austerity has reduced the treasuries coffers, so to try and cover up their gross incompetence. They are selling the family silver to gain a few quid to pay towards their pet projects. What a disgusting incompetent, despicable rabble this government are!