JOINT STATEMENT BY
SIR ROGER GALE MP and LAURA SANDYS MP
Government Will Do "All It Can To Help" Manston Sale, Says PM
Secretary of State for Transport to contact both parties in current negotiations over Manston as Sir Roger asks direct question of PM at Prime Ministers Questions today.....
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Thanet MPs Sir Roger Gale and Laura Sandys today warmly welcomed the Prime Minister's agreement to engage with the owner of Manston, Ms Ann Gloag, and with the prospective purchasers RiverOak (UK) with a view to keeping the Airport open, saving the jobs and developing the business.
Speaking at PMQs in response to a question put by Sir Roger, the Prime Minister indicated that the Secretary of State for Tansport would make personal contact with both parties in the hope that a deal can be struck. He said that the Government would do "all it can to help" the sale of Manston.
Speaking after PMQs, Sir Roger said:
"The Prime Minister has made his position very clear: he cannot become involved in commercial negotiations, but the Government wants Manston to stay open"
Laura Sandys added:
"I am so pleased that the Prime Minister gave such a resounding endorsement to efforts to keep Manston open. The people of Thanet want this offer to be considered fairly and on its merits, and his intervention will send a very strong message that there is a desire for a positive outcome at every level."
-ENDS-
PLUS...
Extract from Prime Minister's Questions
Sir Roger Gale MP: "At the end of November Ms Ann Gloag, a Director of Stagecoach plc, acquired Manston Airport in my constituency for £1. On budget day this year Ms Gloag announced that she was consulting with a view to closing the Airport, which supports hundreds of airport-related jobs, is a major diversion field and a potential search and rescue base. Since then efforts have been made to find a buyer and last night the RiverOak company of Connecticut, United States, who already have interests in Fort Worth Airport, put in an enhanced and realistic bid to keep Manston open, save the jobs and develop the business. At present the owners seem reluctant to negotiate and intend to close Manston tomorrow. I do not expect my Rt. Hon. Friend to engage in commercial negotiations but will he seek to ensure that the CAA Operating Licence remains in force and that Manston stays open while further discussions are held, and will he encourage those discussions to take place?"
The Prime Minister: "I know that my Hon. friend has been fighting very hard with the honourable member for Thanet South about the future of Manston Airport and recognise that it has played an important role in the local economy and employed local people. Ultimately the future of Manston remains the responsibility of the airport owner, but I do think it's important that the Government is engaged and I know my Rt. Hon. friend the Transport Secretary is engaged. He will be speaking to Mrs Gloag about this issue and also contacting RiverOak the potential purchasers. In the end they have to make a commercial decision, but the Government will do all it can to help."
