§ Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he has established why thieves were able to break into the Army weapons store at Oakington barracks near Cambridge; what shortcomings in security arrangements over the Christmas holiday period have been identified; and whether responsibility for such short-comings has been established;
(2) if his investigations into the theft from Oakington barracks, near Cambridge, have revealed any specific breaches of discipline or Army procedures that warrant charges being brought before a court martial; what evidence he has, if any, that the automatic weapons and telescopic-sighted rifle stolen may now be in the hands of criminals or terrorists; if he will publish the results of his findings; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WigginI can confirm that at some time over the Christmas period a number of weapons: one 7.62 mm self-loading rifle, one 9 mm sub-machine gun, four 9 mm Browning automatic pistols, and a night-sight, were removed from Oakington barracks in Cambridge. The rifle and sub-machine gun were taken without magazines, and the pistols had empty magazines.
Following the discovery of the loss, the civil police are conducting an investigation. The Army authorities are also carrying out their own investigations. I understand that it has been established with reasonable certainty that the weapons are not inside the barracks, but that there is no firm evidence to support speculation about where they might be.
It would not be right for me to offer any further comment while these investigations continue.