To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on negotiations on the sale of Rosyth naval base to Rosyth 2000; and if he will ensure that commercial operations will be in place from 1 January 1996. [3647]

[holding answer 6 December 1995]: Negotiations with the preferred bidder, Rosyth 2000 Ltd., a consortium of leading Scottish businesses, are under way. Commercial operations on a small scale are likely to be developed from 1 January 1996, with an anticipated date of transfer from military to civilian use on 31 March 1996.