§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the dangers to members of the armed forces training in the village of Imber and surrounding lands from (i) unexploded ordnance, (ii) metal fragments, (iii) wire entanglements and (iv) open trenches.
§ Mr. NeubertUnexploded ordnance, wire entanglements, metal fragments, and open trenches are inherently dangerous. However, since soldiers are trained to recognise and take appropriate steps to deal with such dangers and have support from specialist explosive ordnance disposal teams, I am satisfied that risks to military personnel training in and around Imber village are kept to an acceptable minimum. Indeed there have been no recorded injuries to soldiers training in the area from unexploded ordnance in the last 10 years.
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§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of injuries that have occurred to members of the armed forces training in the village of Imber and surrounding lands for each year since 1979 that are attributable to (i) unexploded ordnance, (ii) metal fragments, (iii) wire entanglements and (iv) open trenches.
§ Mr. NeubertThere are no records of injuries to members of the armed forces resulting from incidents involving unexploded ordnance whilst training in the village of Imber or the surrounding area in the years since 1979. In respect of the other data requested by the hon. Member, I regret that the information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his reply of 3 March,Official Report, column 358, if he will list the legislation subsequent to the Defence Act 1842 that is relevant to the powers under which his Department holds the village of Imber and surrounding lands.
§ Mr. NeubertThe legislation subsequent to the Defence Act 1842 that is relevant to the power under which MOD holds the village of Imber and the surrounding lands is the Ordnance Board Transfer Act 1855 and the Defence Transfer of Functions Act 1964.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his reply of 3 March,(Official Report column 357–58, if he will reconsider his decision not to search
Royal Navy ships Period of visit Ports visited HMS Trafalgar 28 September—3 October 1987 Liverpool HMS Churchill 30 January—4 February 1988 Cardiff HMS Superb 1 March—6 March 1988 Cardiff HMS Courageous 2 March—7 March 1988 Liverpool HMS Tireless 9 March—15 March 1988 Southampton HMS Torbay 11 May—17 May 1988 Liverpool HMS Sceptre 4 June—10 June 1988 Liverpool HMS Trafalgar 12 October—18 October 1988 Cardiff HMS Turbulent 2 December—12 December 1988 Liverpool HMS Tireless 25 January—2 February 1989 Cardiff HMS Churchill 23 February—28 February 1989 Southampton There were no visits to civil ports by foreign nuclear-powered warships.