Norman Lamb Angry About Home Office Plans for Coltishall Base

7.03.57pm GMT Thu 1st Feb 2007

Norman Lamb, Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk, has cancelled a visit to Oakington Immigration Reception Centre planned for today, and has expressed his anger over the Home Office's position on RAF Coltishall.

He had been planning to visit Oakington to see what an immigration removal centre was like in reality. However, the visit was cancelled after continuing leaks and uncertainties over the future of the site.

Today Norman Lamb was told by Home Office Minister Gerry Sutcliffe that the Home Office would acquire the site but would keep it in mothballs in case extra capacity was needed.

Commenting, Norman Lamb said: "This is the worst of all worlds. We are denied the chance to sell the site for private use - which would generate new economic activity in the area - yet we will get no income from the Home Office sitting on the site doing nothing. The handling of this has been incompetent, inept and unacceptable."