Prison plans for RAF Coltishall
18th January 2008
MP welcomes Minister's plans to visit area.
Keith Simpson, MP for Mid Norfolk has welcomed news that prisons minister, David Hanson's will visit RAF Coltishall next month.
"David Hanson has been very helpful and open and I am glad he is coming to see the site himself.
"I am told that he, alongside his officials, will give a proper presentation to the task force about where we are now with the plan, what it will look like and so on.
"People want to know about timescale, security arrangements, the numbers of staff needed and how many of those will be locally employed, the start date, the finish date, the positive financial implications locally and is it definitely going to go ahead?
"The fact a ministerial visit is about to happen and the fact justice secretary Jack Straw stood up on the floor of the House of Commons last year and said it was going to happen makes me feel it is highly likely."
He continued:
"I trust Mr Hanson will try to answer as many questions as possible, be as transparent as possible and listen to the views of local people."Keith Simpson went on to say that the issue of what would happen to the remainder of the site was extremely important.
"I understand there are still investors hanging on in there who were ready to go 18 months or so ago, those people want answers if they are to carry on waiting."
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