Mr. Soames:
The byelaws, when made, will be signed by my right hon. Friend the
Secretary of State for Defence. As with all other Ministry of Defence
sites, the authorisation for purposes of enforcement of byelaws will be
signed by the senior United Kingdom officer with security responsibilities
at the establishment concerned; at Menwith Hill Station this is at present
the chief inspector, Ministry of Defence police.
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish or place in
the Library the precise wording of the security of tenure document
regarding the leasing of Menwith Hill Station to the National Security
Agency of America. [33947]
Mr. Soames:
This is a confidential administrative arrangements between Her Majesty's
Government and the Government of the United States. It would therefore not
be appropriate to publish or to comment on the details of such
arrangements.
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what grounds it is necessary
to introduce new byelaws at Menwith Hill Station in addition to existing
criminal and civil remedies to deter intruders. [33960]
Mr. Soames:
The Menwith Hill Station byelaws are the first set in a complete revision
of byelaws for all establishments which we consider require them. They are
intended to provide protection for all MOD establishments where other
criminal or civil law does not provide sufficient remedy.
Column 678
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people have appealed
against their convictions under the HMS Forest Moor and Menwith Hill
Station Byelaws 1986 since they were declared defective on their face in
the High Court in July 1992; how many of these appeals were contested; and
how many were (a) upheld and (b) dismissed. [33953]
Mr. Soames:
The information requested is not held by my Department.
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the United States Army
handed control of Menwith Hill Station to the USAF/NSA electronic
surveillance group; for what reasons the transfer of control was made;
what parliamentary procedures applied; if the change of control fell
within the remit of the terms of the War Office/USAF agreement on 11
December 1951 under which the USAF were given the right to occupy and
control RAF bases in Britain; and whether this agreement extends to non-
Royal Air Force bases. [33949]
Mr. Soames:
In 1966, with the agreement of Her Majesty's Government, Menwith Hill
Station became a field element of the National Security Agency. United
States forces use Menwith Hill Station under confidential arrangements
between the Governments of the United Kingdom and the United States of
America. It is not our policy to comment on the details of such
arrangements.
US Forces
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times, when and by whom
the ambassadors' agreement regarding American occupation of British Royal
Air Force bases has been subjected to periodic review; and if he will
place a copy of this agreement in the Library. [33950]
Mr. Soames:
It is not our policy to comment on the detail of confidential arrangements
between the Governments of the United Kingdom and the United States of
America; the basis on which United States forces are stationed in the
United Kingdom is contained in the NATO status of forces agreement of
1951.
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what agreement exists between
Her Majesty's Government and the United States Government, in their
respective Defence Departments, to allow American personnel who are
occupying and controlling British bases to employ psychological operations
units against British subjects either inside or outside of these bases. [33958]
Mr. Soames:
No such operations are undertaken in this country by the US forces against
British subjects.
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British RAF bases are
occupied and controlled by the US Department of Defense; if he will list
those bases by name; how many non-RAF bases are similarly occupied and
controlled; if he will list those bases; how many of those RAF and non-RAF
bases employ members of the National Security Agency of America; and if he
will list such bases. [33951]
Column 679
Mr. Soames:
As of 1 July 1995, bases and facilities were made available to the United
States Department of Defence at the following locations:
Main Operating Bases
RAF Lakenheath
RAF Mildenhall
Standby Deployment Base
RAF Fairford
Storage/Support Facilities
RAF Alconbury
RAF Brawdy
Chilwell
RAF Daws Hill
Eastcote
Framlingham
RAF Hythe
London USN Europe HQ
RAF Molesworth
RAF Northwood
Oakington
RAF Spadeadam
RAF Watton
RAF Welford
West Ruislip
Wartime Contingency Hospitals
RAF Arbroath
RAF Nocton Hall
RAF Upwood
Communications Facilities
RAF Barford St John
RAF Barkway
Botley Hill
Bovingdon
RAF Chelveston
RAF Chicksands
Christmas Common
Coldblow
RAF Croughton
RAF Daventry
RAF Dunkirk
RAF Edzell
RAF Feltwell
Menwith Hill Station
RAF Oakhanger
RAF St Mawgan
RAF Swingate
RAF Uxbridge
NATO Armaments Depot
Glen Douglas
While these have been made available for use by United States visiting
forces, Her Majesty's Government retain legal possession of the sites and
control over the use that is made of them and their facilities. It is not
our policy to comment in further detail on operational matters.
US Communication Centres
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many US Department of
Defense
Column 680
communication centres operate from British soil; and if he will list them
and the agencies by which their workers are
employed. [33952]
Mr. Soames:
As of 1 July 1995, there were 18 United States Department of Defense
communications facilities in the UK as follows:
RAF Barford St John
RAF Barkway
Botley Hill
Bovingdon
RAF Chelveston
RAF Chicksands
Christmas Common
Coldblow
RAF Croughton
RAF Daventry
RAF Dunkirk
RAF Edzell
RAF Feltwell
Menwith Hill Station
RAF Oakhangar
RAF St Mawgan
RAF Swingate
RAF Uxbridge
It is not our policy to give details of personnel assignment.
Public Interest Immunity Certificates
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many public interest
immunity certificates he has issued during the last five years; and if he
will list them. [33955]
Mr. Soames:
I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South
Shields (Dr. Clark) on 3 July 1995, Official Report , column 92 .
National Security Agency of America
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the National Security
Agency of America operates from (a) RAF Croughton and (b) RAF Chicksands. [33957]
Mr. Soames:
RAF Croughton and RAF Chicksands are US Department of Defense
communications centres managed by the United States Air Force. It is not
our policy to comment further on operational matters.
