Delegation in plea for RAF bases

PROPOSALS to shut the two RAF bases would devastate Moray, a delegation of councillors told the government yesterday.

Lib Dem Scottish Secretary Michael Moore yesterday agreed to take the concerns of Moray Council to the Ministry of Defence after hearing that almost one in five jobs in the area are connected to RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Kinloss.

He was also told that local services were tied into the bases with partners of serving officers working as teachers in schools as well as in the local NHS.

The cross-party delegation led by Conservative deputy convener Allan Wright said club and youth services were reliant on the bases, while SNP group leader Pearl Paul noted that local businesses depended ion contract work from the bases. Calum MacPherson of Highland and Islands Enterprise said: "Moray is more reliant on the MoD presence than any other part of the UK."

With two of Scotland's three RAF bases under threat it is understood the two in Moray are most likely to be axed.