§ 18. Mr. Goochasked the Secretary of State for War if he will issue fresh regulations regarding night firing at Weybourne Camp, Norfolk, where the firing of heavy calibre guns continues long after midnight.
§ Mr. ShinwellNight firing must take place at intervals if the operational efficiency of our defences is to be maintained. Instructions are in force that the night firing of anti-aircraft guns will not be carried out after midnight from Weybourne Camp and no firing of guns has in fact occurred after that time. On the night of 23rd October an exercise involving the exploding of land mines continued until 1.15 a.m. Instructions have been issued that no further exercises of this kind will be held after midnight at Weybourne.
§ Mr. GoochIs the Minister aware that I had an assurance from his Department that the firing of heavy calibre guns would not take place after midnight and that, on a recent occasion, it continued until the early hours of the morning? Will he further take into consideration that the detonating of heavy bombs causes terrific damage in the neighbourhood to property and is harmful to agricultural interests, and will he ensure that this ceases?
§ Mr. ShinwellI can give my hon. Friend the assurance that it is most unlikely that there will be any more of this during the winter.
§ Mr. Henry StraussIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that calibre is a measure of size and not weight, and that "heavy calibre" means nothing?