Beaufort's Dyke (Hansard, 6 February 1996)

§ 3. Mr. Jon Owen Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to monitor the ammunition dump at Beaufort's dyke. [12028]

§ The Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Mr. Nicholas Soames)
My Department will contribute to a follow-up survey of the Beaufort's dyke area by the Scottish Office Marine Laboratory.

§ Mr. Jones
I hope that the Minister had the opportunity to read yesterday's Western Mail because it contained a revelation that a distinguished bomber in the second world war, Mr. Robert Wannop, and many of his colleagues had disposed of large quantities of chemical and incendiary bombs in Cardigan bay. The British public want to know how many other dumps exist in seas around Britain, where they are and what their state is. Is it not time that the Minister's Department conducted a comprehensive survey and provided the public with the much-needed answers to those questions?

§ Mr. Soames
I did not have the great joy of reading the Western Mail yesterday—it passed me by—but I shall ensure that I receive a copy so that I may establish more carefully the basis of the hon. Gentleman's claim. As we have said throughout this matter, there is no marine, navigational, safety or other defence requirement to conduct further monitoring. We have already released a substantial amount of information—the most detailed information that has ever been released in a parliamentary answer—on all the dumping sites. Scientific opinion is that, if left undisturbed, such sites present no significant risk to human health or to the marine environment. I shall certainly read the article that the hon. Gentleman mentioned and report back to him.

§ Sir Hector Monro
Is my hon. Friend aware that the local authority in Dumfries and Galloway has been concerned at the washing ashore of incendiaries following the installation of the pipeline? Will he assure me that all Ministries concerned will come to a conclusion on the way forward before a decision must be made on the interconnector between Scotland and Northern Ireland?

§ Mr. Soames
I am grateful to my right hon. Friend. Of course we liaise closely with the Scottish Office on the matter. I am sure that he will wish to pay tribute to the remarkable work of members of the Royal Navy's Clyde submarine base clearance diving unit and the Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland diving units, who have cleared approximately 4,500 devices from affected beaches. I take note of what he said.

§ Mrs. Ewing
As the House will be interested today in the change of personnel at British Gas, what direct contacts have been made with British Gas on the laying of the pipeline? What issues were discussed? On what dates were meetings held and what recommendations, if any, were made by the Ministry of Defence?

§ Mr. Soames
A contractor working for British Gas surveyed the proposed route north of Beaufort's dyke dump before the pipeline was laid and filmed metallic objects and other debris on the sea bed. The contractor notified the MOD on 29 September that it intended to clear the proposed route. The MOD advised against that, but following confirmation that the Health and Safety Executive had accepted the company's risk assessment, work was allowed to continue. Throughout this matter, 123 the MOD has treated the problem extremely responsibly. Explosive ordnance disposal teams will, whenever necessary, continue to undertake any clearance work.