Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 27 July (HL2056), whether the Ministry of Defence plans to publish a timetable for the reopening of Cameron Barracks for use by all previous user groups; and whether they plan to ensure Highland Council and other affected user groups receive formal notification as soon as the handover from the Home Office is complete.

Cameron Barracks is planned to return to Defence use this Autumn following the announcement by the Home Office in June 26 that they were no longer considering the site for asylum accommodation. As the site was never used for temporary accommodation, there is limited refurbishment and remediation works required.

Previous user groups and the military families whose service families accommodation is located at the barracks, were notified over the summer that the site is returning to Ministry of Defence (MOD) use. The MOD has continued to engage with local stakeholders throughout, although they would not normally notify the Highland Council about the routine use of Defence sites within their jurisdiction.