'+e$$5.message)}catch(e$$6){}}; Can the right hon. I will, with permission, Mr. Speaker, answer Question No. "It is not clear to me whether this is a move initiated by QinetiQ to maximise their convenience and profits within an existing contract framework, or is being driven by specific defence needs. Lochmaddy Ferry Terminal (Google Maps). With a weight of 8.8t, the R-36M is also the heaviest ICBM in the world. " [^Future of Scots missile range secured by 1bn MoD deal Retrieved January 08, 2017.^] [^Millions to be invested in Hebrides weapons range - BBC News Retrieved January 08, 2017.^]. Balivanich is the main administrative centre on the island and here can be found a Post Office, hospital, primary school and several shops and cafes. Mission. Mr Davies is planning to go to St Kilda. Remote Radar Head Benbecula or RRH Benbecula, is an air defence radar station operated by the Royal Air Force. The warden said the rare birds and wild plants on the machair had helped boost wildlife tourism on the islands over the last 10 years. Mr Booth said: "The Hebrides range has 35,000 square kilometres of segregated air space making it the largest range in Europe. The Government's decision to set up a guided weapons range in the Hebrides was announced on 27th July, 1955. [[!Cold War]] Named ADA, the rocket blasted off from Benbecula Airport in the Western Isles on Thursday. The SS-N-30, carried by surface ships and submarines has . Does he not think that the establishment of a rocket range on the west coast of Scotland will make huge areas of Scotland less safe than they would otherwise have been, and will he revise his evacuation proposals in the light of that? Will my right hon. Without the assistance of the MoD and QinetiQ the trust said the islands could lose their status as the UK's only dual Unesco World Heritage site. Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. It had been proposed to cut 125 jobs as part of a wider programme of defence savings aimed at reducing MoD costs by 40m. Mr. Sandys: Is the right hon. ", He added: "It is here, it is here to stay.". BBC News Updated every minute of every day. The range has also been used to test high altitude meteorological research rockets, Skua and Petrel. Why we know so little about the battle for Kherson. Ahead of a meeting with Defence Minister Quentin Davies, Angus MacMillan said consideration should be given to expanding the range. The SNP group on Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Western Isles council, has joined forces with local Nationalist MSP Alasdair Allan and MP Angus MacNeil in condemning the proposed losses. On the other hand, it has shown that it would now he feasible to carry out most of the necessary Service firings with air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles at the Ministry of Supply rocket establishment at Aberporth, and the balance at the Army gunnery range at Ty Croes, in Anglesey. Can I now assure my constituents that there will be no further radical revisions; that this is the final decision of the Government on this scheme, which has had such a record of muddle and confusion all through? The bombing of Pearl Harbor during World War II took place on December 7 th, 1941. He added: "QinetiQ is the largest private sector employer in the Western Isles and HIE will be pressing for very clear explanations on what forces are at work within the international defence industry which could have prompted this proposal. Peter Peacock, Labour MSP for the Highlands and Islands, said: "This is a very disappointing development and represents a real blow to the economy of the islands. Potatoes, lamb flesh and rabbit meat were tested. The Hebridean range is described as the largest air and sea range in the UK. MISSILEMAP is an interactive data visualization by Alex Wellerstein, an associate professor of Science and Technology Studies in the College of Arts and Letters at the Stevens Institute of Technology . Save up to 70% with our image packs The community landowner controls large parts of Benbecula, Eriskay and South Uist. "It is the task force's aim to ensure that any decision which claims to make savings for one arm of the government takes full account of the true social and economic impact on the community, including the potential costs of creating and funding an economic recovery plan. google_ad_client = 'pub-9912973797081854'; Following a meeting of the group, he said: "Today's meeting is the beginning of a determined campaign by all the agencies and community representatives present to challenge the proposals put forward by the Ministry of Defence and contractor QinetiQ last week. That doesn't seem to have held true for North Korea . "The employees at Qinetiq and the wider community deserve that at least.". West Freugh, a military range and test facility near Stranraer, will not be affected. The MoD showcased current and next-generation UAVs at an exhibition in March. Callander and the Trossachs Backed by a rising defence budget and our 178 billion equipment plan, all three sites will continue to have a major role in supporting our defence capability. Mr Swinney said: "The case against these job cuts and the effect they would have on the Uists as remote island communities is compelling. Gentleman has wasted the livelihood of many of these people, and he has not even said one word in mitigation of the offence. Mr. MacMillan: It is linked to a missile range controlled from a military site on Benbecula in the Western Isles. He said: "The local task force and community are to be congratulated on their fantastic campaign and Jim Murphy and his Westminster colleagues deserve the utmost credit for doing a great job for the islands.". Advertisement. The MoD said no final decision has been made on a "modernisation" plan, which would result in the loss of 125 jobs. The Buk missile system (Russian: ""; "beech" (tree), /bk/) is a family of self-propelled, medium-range surface-to-air missile systems developed by the So. "We did not need it all; in fact, we need only 5 million worth"? In the 1961 documentary Rocket Range Benbecula, the presence of the military on the island is described as an "invasion of sassenachs". "I note that the MoD say they will consider workable alternatives and that is a task everyone must look at closely.". asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what protests he has received about the proposal to acquire land compulsorily for the establishment of a rocket range in South Uist; and what was the nature of his reply. })(); South Uist missile range lies on the northwest part of the island of South Uist, together with its local radar tracking station, immediately to the south of the island of Benbecula, where the airfield at Balivanich, RAF Benbecula, serves as the overall range headquarters and provides additional support facilities; the final part of the range is the remote radar tracking station installed on St Kilda, about 40 niles to the west. Peter Peacock, Highlands and Islands Labour MSP: "This is a very disappointing development and represents a real blow to the economy of the islands. "How does that square with all the protestations from QinetiQ, the MoD and the Secretary of State for Scotland that they are genuinely listening?". Scotland's island communities may be separate from the UK mainland but they are not separate from the UK, and today's decision confirms again that Scottish families benefit from being part of the UK through MoD jobs.". Gentleman mind translating that into English? Defence technology giant QinetiQ operates the islands range and associated sites for the MoD. Mr. de Freitas: These brushes with war make me realize how lucky I am. The Missile Testing Range was built by the Royal Air Force between 1957 and 1958 to launch the Corporal Missile, Britain and America's first guided Nuclear Weapon and today consists of a Deep Range for complex weapons trials and in-service firings and an Inner Range for ground-based air defence campaigns. HC Deb 09 December 1957 vol 579 c878 878. Comhairle nan Eilean Siar SNP group leader Donald Manford: "Today confirms what has been feared for some days now - the UK Government is prepared to preside over massive job losses in Uist. South Uist Rocket Range If so, it would be classified as an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM). asked the Minister of Defence if he will state the date on which Her Majesty's Government decided to establish a rocket range in South Uist; what was the original estimate of the likely expenditure; how much money has already been spent; and what economies he proposes. I can certainly assure the hon. Mr. Ward: "Children don't want their parents to lose their jobs or their community destroyed. "This is the right decision for the right reasons and a victory for common sense," the minister said. This serves as the headquarters for the missile ranges off the west coast of South Uist. The Corporal missile, used in the Cold War, was tested here from 1959 to 1963, before giving way to Sergeant and Lance tactical nuclear missiles. Description: A documentary about the local people's reaction to the establishment of a Royal Artillery Guided Weapons Range in the Hebrides and how the presence of the base affects traditional life. Well. Hebrides Range Taskforce chairman Angus Campbell said the website was essential to taking the campaign forward. Talk to us about your requirement. Object details Object associations Associated people and organisations British Army, Royal Artillery British Army, Royal Artillery Member for Easington (Mr. Shinwell) of any responsibility. Taskforce chairman Angus Campbell said: "We continue to call for the MoD to review its long-term partnership agreement with QinetiQ, as this prevents either party from exploring more ambitious options to make the UK a world leader in technology such as the development of unmanned aerial vehicles. Dounreay is not anywhere near the Western Islands. The summit of Rueval (Ruabhal), 87 metres (285 ft), also known as the Hill of Miracles, hosts the radomes, masts, and buildings of the local radar tracking station. ", Angus Macmillan, chairman of Storas Uibhist, the community body that owns most of South Uist, said: "The loss of 125 jobs in Uist is equivalent to 25,000 jobs in Glasgow. Does he not realise that, as a result of his selection of this site, the islanders are driven, in order to escape his clutches, to consider mass exodus to a Gaelic-speaking part of Canada, and does he not think that this is a disgraceful way in which to treat British subjects with whom he has no quarrel? Mr. Taylor: Another part of the plan is to withdraw the military's permanent presence from St Kilda, the base for the tracking station for missiles fired, Angus Campbell, leader of Western Isles Council, was elected as chair of the Hebrides Range Task Force (HRTF) yesterday. The Minuteman III inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) has the longest range . Subsonic cruise missile flies at a speed lesser than . Cuts are being made as part of an effort by the MoD to make 50m savings. He said UAVs have been flown at the range in the past, but more work could be done on the islands and close ties forged with aerospace research projects at Scottish universities. Is the Minister aware that, if this gigantic white elephant was to cost 20 million, we all hope that his efforts to restrict this expenditure will be successful? An official announcement yesterday confirmed that the MoD will reduce its work at South Uist missile range and remove all staff from a radar tracking station on St Kilda. Gentleman will study my Answer, he will see that certain work is going on at the moment. An army base was established in the 1950s and remains one of the main island employers as it is the headquarters for those who service the South Uist missile testing range. The Minister of Defence (Mr. Duncan Sandys): Will he now approach his colleagues in the Government Departments and ask them to be less niggardly in promoting major and very necessary schemes of economic developmentprojects of a permanently useful character and employing local people? Their development even passed existing legislation, leading to the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) grounding those used by the authorities due to their use in proximity to humans, and danger of loss of control. Storas Uibhist led the community buyout of South Uist Estate and manages 93,000 acres of land covering almost the whole of the islands of Benbecula, Eriskay and South Uist, as well as a number of other small islands. This web site and its pages are licensed for personal, private, or non-commercial use only. Mr Allan said: The investment in Hebrides range announced today is a testament to the skilled workforce in Uist and I hope this now means a long period of secure work for them. They are operated by private defence technology company QinetiQ. When the Royal Artillery pulled out, defence technology company QinetiQ took over the management of the site and there was a local campaign to keep the facilities open. 15 million. - Hansard, December 4, 1957. [^Rocket Range, The Hebrides (Hansard, 4 December 1957)^], HANSARD 18032005 1950s 1957 December 1957 9 December 1957 Commons Sitting MINISTRY OF SUPPLY 575-993-6509. Twenty jobs linked to the underwater testing range off Raasay are also expected to go by 2014. Campaigners have warned that a loss of defence jobs in the Western Isles will have an impact equivalent to the Royal Bank of Scotland and the Bank of Scotland both closing their doors in Edinburgh, or 300,000 jobs being axed in London. St Kilda is still a challenging site to manage due to its remote location, but this is very good news for us indeed.". No automated processing by advertising systems is permitted.NO permission is granted for Phorm to intercept or process this site. The fact remains that since Labour came to power in 1997, more than 9,000 defence jobs have disappeared in Scotland. Harriett Baldwin, MP, minister for procurement, said: This new deal will ensure our Armed Forces get world-class training and testing facilities and services while making substantial efficiencies, ensuring excellent value for money for the taxpayer. I would certainly not have been able to take an informed decision without it.". This review has confirmed the need for a range in the Hebrides for surface-to-surface rockets. About MISSILEMAP. The range is said to be the largest of its kind in Europe. Military Equal Opportunity 24/7 Hotline. Paired with lightweight cameras and data-links, these became cheap alternatives for aerial surveillance tasks. Mr Allan said: "It is very difficult to read this job advert any other way: QinetiQ, it seems, are looking for someone who will oversee the dismantling of the command and control functions at Hebrides Range, leading to the operation of much of its activities by remote control from Aberporth in Wales. The camp is linked to training on the Rapier air defence missile system which is used by the Royal Artillery and RAF. He has also offered the help of his officials in plans to diversify the local economy. In the period 2001/2002, the Benbecula Airport was reported to have benefited from a 500,000 upgrade, completed in readiness for its participation in the Eurofighter Typhoon test project. Isle of South Uist Mr. Sandys: Mr. Emrys Hughes: Can he give some assurance that this colossal expenditure of public money will be abandoned, because it is a useless expenditure in view of the recent developments in rocket warfare? - Defence Management, June 18, 2009. [^MoD to close key missile testing site - Defence Management^]. The remotest island group of the British Isles will be put at risk if a radar station is left unmanned, the National Trust for Scotland has warned. Highlands and Islands Enterprise chairman William Roe said: "Given the magnitude of the social and economic impact the proposed job losses would have, we are calling for an extension to the consultation period. It is not correct to say that everything is at a standstill. The Hebrides Range Taskforce has now called for the trialling of unmanned aerial vehicles to be fully embraced. [[!First]] Mr. Sandys: Angus Campbell, leader of Western Isles Council and chairman of the multi-agency Hebrides Range Task Force, acknowledges that, out of context, the total is small beer in a recession-hit UK. "We do welcome comments and ideas from the community during the consultation period and will consider any alternative workable solutions. Since then, annual counts have shown that the population increase continued throughout the 2000s, and in 2007 the population in its Scottish strongholds hit a high of more than 1,270 calling males. Repeatedly claimed to be under threat of closure (but never closed), the announcement of a 1 billion contract between the MoD and operator QinetiQ means was reported to ensure the range would be in operation until at least 2028, and a 180 million investment package, to be split between the Hebrides Range and two other sites in England and Wales (MoD Aberporth and MoD Boscombe Down), was also announced, to be used to upgrade facilities on South Uist and nearby islands. - Hansard, March 19, 1957. [^Civil Defence (Hansard, 19 March 1957)^]. A proposal to modernise the facility with the loss of 125 jobs has been accepted in principle by the MoD and put out to consultation. The first meeting of a special taskforce trying to save 125 jobs at rocket test ranges on the Western Isles is due to be held. How the announcement affects UK air and sea weapons ranges: This revised plan will require rather less land in the Hebrides than was originally proposed, and will enable the construction programme there to be greatly curtailed. WO1 (ASM) Served from 1958 - 1985 Served in Royal Artillery Ranges . It would mean the loss of 125 direct QinetiQ jobs, and perhaps as many associated jobs. That's the level of impact you are talking about. Held by local school until exchanged for video . Terms & Conditions 2005-2022 SeScoThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International LicenseThis web site and its pages are licensed for personal, private, or non-commercial use only. Some 90 jobs would be left, but the reduction would be dramatic and it would be cruel given what the community has contributed.". West Camp - an Army base at Balivanich, Benbecula - would remain open but one accommodation block would close, reducing the need for domestic staff. Rocket Range, South Uist (Representations)^]. These buildings on the summit of Ruabhal on the Hebridean island of South Uist are the Range Control Unit for the South Uist Missile Range. It initially announced a 30-day consultation period. He said if the crofting stopped, the grasslands would be lost. The reason why I am not making a statement today is that I am doing just what the hon. Chief executive Kate Mavor said: "Without the support of the MoD and the infrastructure that they have in place there, there is no doubt that we would find it very difficult to give St Kilda the level of care and attention that it requires.". This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, This website and its associated newspaper are members of Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Is not the real reason that the Minister and his predecessor decided that defence considerations were so overriding such a short time ago that they could not even give time for a proper inquiry, and that what has changed that enables them, equally vehemently, to say. An advert for a project manager to "downgrade " the Benbecula missile . When the range is in operation, red flags are raised, and red lights are shown on the access roads. Member who represents the Western Isles (Mr. Malcolm MacMillan) spoke with a great deal less heat than the hon. During the Persian Gulf War, I had a safe haven to escape the missiles. Chairman William Roe said: "This decision is testimony to the speed and determination shown by the community and its public agencies in putting together a number of compelling arguments which challenged the narrow perspective offered on current and future use of the range.". In 2009 proposed job cuts for the range were abandoned. Many other countries could be using it, but at present there is only a small amount of international use," said Mr Campbell. He said: "We have decided after looking at the figures that the jobs will be saved. Home; About Us; Products. The U.S. military established a permanent presence in the Tularosa Basin during World War II. google_ad_channel = ''; Mr. de Freitas: Their favoured habitat is tall grasses and herbs, particularly hay and silage meadows. Part of the tracking apparatus for the Benbecula missile range, now threatened with closure. Mr. Sandys: google_ad_height = 600; Comhairle leader, Angus Campbell: "The comhairle will make every effort to avert the threatened job losses at the Uist Test Range and we have already made contact with key players in this developing situation asking them to intervene as a matter of urgency. It would be contrary to practice to publish precise estimates of the cost of such projects, but it was of the order of 20 million. The savings and staff reductions are to be achieved by 2028, the MoD said. Arriving At The Base. We feel very strongly about this matter, and will do our best, as the young people, and the future of the islands, to make sure the minister knows what he'll be doing by cutting those jobs, other than saving the MOD a few pounds.". Additional regulations were introduced to limit the proximity of autonomous drones - those which can fly themselves - to people in public places. Politicians, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and local authority Comhairle nan Eilean Siar have spoken out on the plans. That argument was accepted yesterday by Murphy. Object details Object associations Forthcoming Range Activity. Where croftersand I think that this is the main issue herehave suffered loss as a result of the scheme, even though they may have suffered loss in connection with some area of land which will not now be required, they will be entitled to put in their claims for compensation to the Scottish Land Court which, as the hon. Under the planned cuts it would be operated remotely with staff only visiting for maintenance and servicing. Dr Allan said: "This climb down is a huge relief for the workers and their families, and a tremendous victory for the community campaign to save these jobs.". The sites are operated for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) by defence technology contractor QinetiQ. Mr. MacMillan: Benbecula. Gentleman says, I hope that there may be savings. They are listening at this time.". I would remind the hon. Trust staff, ornithologists and conservationists are also able to piggyback on the regular MoD helicopter trips to service the station. "If the UK Government has any commitment at all to supporting island jobs and maintaining island populations, they must understand that.". He said: "The biggest constraint is the contract between QinetiQ and the MoD which only allows for savings and not for looking at other alternatives for expanding the facility and look at profits that could be generated. Mr. Sandys: HC Deb 20 November 1957 vol 578 cc361-4 361. //-->,