20 January 2003
US NMD: use of UK bases:contribution to debate
 
 
WOMENWITH HILL WOMEN'S PEACE CAMP(AIGN)
P.O. BOX 105, HARROGATE HG3 2FE

Dear Nick Pickard,

Thank you for your acknowledgement of and response to our first submission. We welcome publication of any or all of it in the Defence Committee's Report.

We have submitted two representations to the Defence Committee c/o the House of Commons.Copies of both were also despatched to them by post.

I did not email you the second submission because your 'firewall' blocked the cut and paste content. I shall despatch a copy to you by post.

We are discussing a further contribution and trust it is not too late to do so. Our first submission examined the ownership of the Defence Lands; the Acts of Parliament which govern the use of the land and the powers of the Secretary of State for Defence to use UK Defence Land for a purpose for which it was not appropriated, namely use by a foreign power in its own exclusive interests. We believe it would require a new Act of Parliament.

Our second submission examines the contravention of the law by the USA's pre-emptive installation of components of its National Missile Defence system in Menwith Hill and Fylingdales. As this has been implemented without consulting the UK Government or obtaining its consent, it has implications for scrutiny and control of all the US Bases in the UK.

Our third submission seeks to extrapolate from the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Report (December 2001) into UK - USA relations and explore whether the UK Governemnt is in a position where it cannot refuse the USA's request, or what might be the consequences were it to do so.

We expect the points we have raised to be investigated. We are not lawyers! We should expect that either the Minstry of Defence or the Defence Committee would seek a Legal Opinion.

We are aware that other organisations have presented a case for refusal on grounds that the US National Missile Defence System endangers World Peace. We support their arguments.

Yours sincerely,

Anne Lee

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