§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (I) whether the Royal Navy searched and investigated the reported siting of a Soviet Victor III class submarine off the east Antrim coast on 14 May;
(2) if he will make a statement regarding the presence of a foreign submarine approximately two miles off the east Antrim coast on Tuesday 14 May at approximately 1.20 pm.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThere were no submarines, United Kingdom or foreign, on the surface off the east Antrim coast at the time in question.
§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action has been taken to protect shipping and fishermen from risk of activity of foreign submarines between Northern Ireland and Scotland.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe Royal Navy is investigating whether the successful firth of Clyde dived submarine movement notification scheme can be extended to other United Kingdom territorial waters. Additionally, work continues to assist with the development of net pinger devices to make fishing nets more easily detectable to dived submarines.
§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any British submarine surfaced off the east Antrim coast on 14 May.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonNo.