Lasers (Hansard, 10 January 1990)

Mr. O'Neill
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many non-targeting laser devices are currently fitted to Royal Navy vessels,
632W
(2) what is the maximum amount of power that could be used by non-targeting laser devices currently fitted to Royal Navy vessels.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
It is not our practice to disclose information of this nature.

Mr. O'Neill
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what circumstances non-targeting laser devices fitted to Royal Navy vessels would be used.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
As a non-lethal means of self-defence by HM ships.

Mr. O'Neill
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what heading in the Supply Estimates the expenditure on the non-targeting laser devices currently fitted to Royal Navy vessels was included.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
Vote 2 sub head F (Sea Systems).

Mr. O'Neill
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of procuring the non-targeting laser devices currently fitted to Royal Navy vessels.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
The cost of procurement is commercially confidential.

Mr. O'Neill
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of the project definition phase of the procurement programme for the non-targeting laser devices currently fitted to Royal Navy vessels.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
There was no project definition phase.

Mr. O'Neill
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any of the non-targeting laser devices currently fitted to Royal Navy vessels have ever been used operationally.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
No.

Mr. O'Neill
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which company supplied the non-targeting laser devices currently fitted to Royal Navy vessels.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
Irwin Desman Limited.