§ 18. Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what weight he gives when making decisions on future military activity on Dartmoor to the implications for public enjoyment of the Dartmoor national park of the continuing firing of live ammunition.
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§ Mr. FreemanThe range danger areas cover only 10 per cent. of the Dartmoor national park. Moreover, there is no live firing on Dartmoor during August, on all public holidays or, so far as possible, at weekends, which are the times when most visitors would wish to enjoy the use of the national park. I shall naturally continue to give the fullest consideration to the question of public access to Dartmoor when making decisions about military activity commensurate with the overriding need to ensure the maintenance of training standards and operational effectiveness in the services.