LOCAL MP CALLS FOR URGENT CLARIFICATION ON UIST ROCKET RANGE

LOCAL MP CALLS FOR URGENT CLARIFICATION ON UIST ROCKET RANGE

Following conflicting reports in today’s press over the future of the Uist
rocket range, Angus MacNeil MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, has called on
defence minister Quentin Davies MP and the Secretary of State for Scotland
Jim Murphy to urgently clarify the situation.

The reports come after an internal email, circulated to senior managers
within QinetiQ, was leaked to the press showing that a high-level meeting
may be held to press ahead with plans to operate the range remotely from
Aberporth in Wales.

Yet only last month the Secretary of State for Scotland Jim Murphy came to
the base to tell the workforce that their jobs were safe.

Commenting on BBC Radio Nan Gaidheal this morning regarding the
speculation, Na h-Eileanan an Iar SNP MP Angus MacNeil said:

“We need urgent clarification from QinetiQ, Quientin Davies MP, and the
Secretary of State for Scotland Jim Murphy MP on what the real story is
here. We certainly don’t want a situation where it transpires that QinetiQ
are misleading the Government about their future plans for the Hebrides
Range.

“We don’t want a situation either where the Government are misleading the
people of Uist. Jim Murphy was in Uist 3 weeks ago to announce that the
jobs at the Hebrides Range were safe.

“The Uist range is Europe’s biggest and best range, and rather than
undermining it, it would be more useful if QinetiQ and the Ministry of
Defence put their heads together and look at the Long Term Partnership
Agreement between the two bodies, and look at ways of expanding it rather
than try to be undermining the work that is going on at the range.”