HC Deb 16 December 1982 vol 34 cc198-9W
Mr. Dalyell

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer of 13 December, whether the distance from the "General Belgrano" to the nearest British surface vessel at the time the cruiser was torpedoed was known to (a) the commander of the task force and (b) Her Majesty's Government.

The Prime Minister

Yes.

Mr. Dalyell

asked the Prime Minister what was the bearing from the "General Belgrano" of the group of British warships referred to in her answer of 13 December.

The Prime Minister

The bearing will have varied during the day according to the movements of both groups of ships, but the vessels of the task force were, broadly speaking, to the north-east.

Mr. Dalyell

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer of 13 December, Official Report, c. 11, (1) what was the mean course steered by the "General Belgrano" and her escorts during the time that their presence was known to the task force that indicated the convergence of that group with the group of British warships referred to in that answer;

(2) what was the mean course being steered by the group of British warships which would have resulted in their converging with the "General Belgrano" and her escorts.

The Prime Minister

The "General Belgrano" and her escorts had made many changes of course during 2 May. It is not possible to give meaningful mean courses for them or for the British warships. The precise courses being steered at any particular moment were incidental to the indications we possessed of the threat to the Task Force.

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