HL Deb 17 February 1971 vol 315 cc587-8

2.50 p.m.

LORD DULVERTON

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether consideration has been given to the provision of the Singlepoint sight as an item of small arms equipment in Her Majesty's Forces.]

EARL FERRERS

My Lords, full consideration has been given. Trials have shown that the Singlepoint sight has certain merits at short range in jungle conditions. For general use, however, existing sights and those due for introduction into service in the near future, all of which are of British design and manufacture, are considered to be more suitable than the Singlepoint sight.

LORD DULVERTON

My Lords, I thank my noble friend very much for the courtesy of his reply. May I ask him whether he is aware, not only of the tests which have been carried out on this piece of equipment in the Jungle Warfare School in the Far East, in which Commonwealth and foreign forces are showing very great interest, but also of the tests which have been carried out by our own S.A.S. and parachute forces in various parts of the world, who think that it is unequalled and unsurpassed as a piece of ancillary equipment under conditions that are likely to be met with by the forces to-day, not only in jungle conditions but in conditions as far afield as the deserts and the Arctic?

EARL FERRERS

My Lords, I am fully aware of the reports of the Jungle Warfare School to which my noble friend has referred, and I would only draw his attention to the fact that a number of controlled tests have been carried out at the Infantry Trials and Development Unit at Warminster where this particular sight was found to be not advantageous compared with the current iron sight. However, I fully accept the fact that there are conditions in which this particular sight is of benefit. My noble friend has referred to the S.A.S. They are of course continuing trials with this piece of equipment, and we shall be interested to know how they get on with it.

LORD GRIMSTON OF WESTBURY

My Lords, can my noble friend give a very brief description of the difference between the Singlepoint sight and the one to which we are all accustomed?

EARL FERRERS

I could, my Lords, but it would be rather complicated, and I think that if the noble Lord were to look at a photograph he would find it a great deal easier to understand than ever I could explain.