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| MP and council seek to save Fort George army base | MP and council seek to save Fort George army base |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The future of Fort George as a working army barracks is to be discussed in London later. | The future of Fort George as a working army barracks is to be discussed in London later. |
| The 250-year-old base, north-east of Inverness, has been looked at as part of a Ministry of Defence (MoD) review, due to report by the end of October. | The 250-year-old base, north-east of Inverness, has been looked at as part of a Ministry of Defence (MoD) review, due to report by the end of October. |
| Inverness MP Drew Hendry and Highland Council leader Margaret Davidson are scheduled to meet defence minister Mark Lancaster. | Inverness MP Drew Hendry and Highland Council leader Margaret Davidson are scheduled to meet defence minister Mark Lancaster. |
| Fort George currently houses soldiers from the Black Watch (3 SCOTS). | Fort George currently houses soldiers from the Black Watch (3 SCOTS). |
| Mr Hendry said: "The threat looming over Fort George puts up to 750 jobs and the £16m at risk in our local economy. | Mr Hendry said: "The threat looming over Fort George puts up to 750 jobs and the £16m at risk in our local economy. |
| "I will be meeting with Mark Lancaster, the Parliamentary Under Secretary on Monday and have invited the leader of the Highland Council and my colleague Maree Todd MSP to join me. Together we will highlight the devastating impact closure would have on our local community." | |
| Ms Davidson told BBC Radio Scotland that the closure of Fort George would have a major effect on the region. | |
| "Highlands doesn't have a huge population. We have got 5-600 soldiers on that base at a time. We have got about 50 civilians with associated jobs," she told Good Morning Scotland. | |
| "Highlands and Islands Enterprise have done an economic impact study for us. We'd be losing about £16-17m a year out of the Highland economy. That's a blow." | |
| The council leader added: "But more than that, it's about the effect on the army itself. | |
| "That is the only army base we have now in Highland. It's a visible presence of our forces in the north. | |
| "The north has always been a good recruitment ground for the army and it would certainly weaken their resources." |