75th Anniversary of the Opening of the Churchill Barriers

That the Parliament acknowledges the 75th anniversary of the official opening of the Churchill Barriers in Orkney following the end of the Second World War; understands that Churchill ordered work to begin on the barriers in May 1940 after HMS Royal Oak was torpedoed by a German submarine and sank in Scapa Flow in October 1939; acknowledges that the barriers were designed to block off the eastern entrance to Scapa Flow, which was used as a base for the Royal Navy’s Home Fleet between May 1940 and September 1944; further acknowledges that the barriers were officially opened by First Lord of the Admiralty, Albert Victor Alexander, on 12 May 1945; recognises that their construction is widely regarded as one of the most significant and impressive civil engineering achievements of the 20th century and notes that it continues to operate as an essential transport link between the isles and mainland Orkney to this day; notes that the anniversary has been marked by the awarding of the Red Wheel heritage plaque from the Transport Trust, which will be unveiled at a later date, and believes this is an excellent way to pay tribute to one of Orkney’s most iconic and historical landmarks, which also acts as a vital transport structure for modern-day life.