§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he remains satisfied that the figure of nearly 9,000 tons of explosive cargo in the wreck of the ss "Richard Montgomery" of which almost half was salvaged in 1944 given in his Department's Press notice of 12th November, 1971, is correct; whether his views in respect of the size and nature 165W of this danger to shipping in the Thames side communities are accurate and complete; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NobleThe original cargo amounted to nearly 7,000 short tons, not 9,000, but the other information given in the Press notice was accurate. My assessment of the risks of trying to remove or leaving undisturbed the explosives remains as previously stated, but I will review the position after the forthcoming diving survey.