The American spy base at Menwith Hill is to expand with the transfer of National Security Agency staff from Germany.

The personnel are to move to the base near Harrogate in the wake of the imminent closure of an American base at Bad Aibling in Bavaria. A national Sunday newspaper claimed that the transfer would mean a massive increase in Menwith's global eavesdropping role.

But the Ministry of Defence said today that there would be only a small and temporary increase in the number of staff at Menwith, and no change in the base's infrastructure or role. She stressed that the changes were not connected to the American's controversial proposals for a National Missile Defence shield, which also involve Menwith Hill as well as Fylingdales.

Harrogate Borough Council chief executive Mick Walsh said today that the authority would like more information about both the "Son of Star Wars" NMD proposals and the proposed transfer of staff from Germany to Britain. Mr Walsh said he was waiting for a reply from the Ministry of Defence to a letter he sent to the Prime Minister last month requesting more information.

Updated: 11:11 Monday, June 11, 2001