A UK defence minister has pledged that the future of RAF Lossiemouth is secure on the eve of a tour of bases in Moray and the Highlands.
Dr Andrew Murrison said that the airbase played an “essential” role, as he insisted that coalition plans to privatise the pipeline, that supplies it with jet fuel, was “in no way connected” to its ongoing operation.
However, the SNP called for the minister to use his visit today, to Lossiemouth, Kinloss barracks and Fort George, to apologise to local communities for military cuts in recent years.
Dr Murrison, the minister for international security strategy, has been given special responsibility for Scotland within the Ministry of Defence.
At Lossiemouth today he will hear about progress on an £85million upgrade of the base to prepare it for the arrival of up to 30 Typhoon jets and hundreds of new personnel next year.
Fresh concerns have been expressed about the future of the site since it emerged that coalition ministers were looking at the case for selling-off the Government Pipeline and Storage System (GPSS), a 40-mile pipe that runs from Inverness to the base, built in 1939 to cut the number of tankers on the roads.
Speaking in advance of today’s visit, Dr Murrison told the Press and Journal that the future of the base was not in doubt.
“RAF Lossiemouth has a key role to play in the defence of this nation and is essential to the large defence presence in Scotland,” he said.
“As one of the United Kingdom’s three fast jet Main Operating bases, it will provide crews at High Readiness every hour of every day to police UK airspace and to intercept whenever necessary.”
He added: “The future of RAF Lossiemouth and a possible sale of the Government Pipeline and Storage System are in no way connected.
“Work is underway to identify the preferred sale structure for the GPSS and no decisions have been made at this stage.”
Angus Robertson, Moray MP and SNP defence spokesman, suggested the minister use the visit to explain broken promises made to north communities.
“On this rare day trip by the MoD minister ‘responsible’ for Scotland, perhaps he can apologise to the people of Moray for the uncertainty and economic damage caused by his government’s mishandling of the basing review.”