DEFENCE Secretary Geoff Hoon has been ridiculed for his repeated refusal to state whether North Yorkshire radar bases will be used for the controversial "Son of Star Wars" project.

Labour and Conservative members of the Commons Defence Select Committee accused him of "batting away questions like Geoffrey Boycott" and "hiding behind a fig leaf".

The patience of MPs snapped when Mr Hoon was being quizzed about reports that upgrade work at RAF Fylingdales could begin next year.

Tory James Cran asked Mr Hoon if this would have to be the case, in order for the USA's target date of having missile defence up and running by 2006 to be met.

Mr Hoon replied he could not answer because he had not received a specific request from the US to use the radar base, or any other facilities in the UK.

He first gave this explanation for not stating whether Britain would allow Fylingdales or Menwith Hill to be used by the US in Autumn 2000 and has stuck to it rigidly ever since.

But in the meantime his own officials have told the select committee the bases figure "very large" in American calculations.

Mr Cran snapped that it was time Mr Hoon stopped using the absence of a formal request as a "fig leaf" to hide behind.

Committee chairman Bruce George, a Labour MP, then took up the case, stating it was obvious Menwith Hill and Fylingdales would be required.

He accused Mr Hoon of batting away questions like Yorkshire cricket legend Geoffrey Boycott.

He said Mr Hoon's answers like Mr Boycott's batting style were boring, and added: "The US are not going to hire an oil rig as an alternative to these sites."

But Mr Hoon again repeated there had been no request to use specific sites.

This prompted Mr George to state: "I feel the same sense of frustration as the police must feel in an interview with a recidivist."He told Mr Hoon to make sure his diary was clear when a specific request was received from the US.

Mr George told him at that point he would be asked to appear in front of the committee again to give full and frank answers.

Mr Hoon who was under the spotlight for more than an hour said he would be delighted to do so.

Updated: 08:55 Thursday, March 21, 2002