HC Deb 01 July 1993 vol 227 cc628-30W
Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what detailed records are kept of the dates and locations of each of the tests involving depleted uranium shells; and to whom this information is made available.

Mr. Aitken

Full records of all DU firings are kept as part of standard trials documentation. These records are available on request to regulatory authorities, such as Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution or Her Majesty's industrial pollution inspectorate.

Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what future steps he proposes to take to assess and keep under review the possible effects on the local population and environment arising from the testing of depleted uranium shells at(a) Kirkcudbright test firing range, (b) West Freugh test firing range and (c) Eskmeals test firing range; and if he will make a statement;

(2) if he will list the appropriate health and safety measures deemed necessary as part of the United Kingdom development firing programme using depleted uranium; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Aitken

The measures currently taken are set out in my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces' reply to the hon. Member for Pembroke (Mr. Ainger) on 14 June,Official Report, columns 473–74. We propose to continue these. In addition, in the spirit of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 we propose to undertake a full environmental impact assessment at Eskmeals and Kirkcudbright.

Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many periodic inspections have been carried out by(a) the Health and Safety Executive and (b) the Department of the Environment's radiochemical inspectorate in each year since 1980 into the United Kingdom development firing programme using depleted uranium; and if he will provide a breakdown by firing range.

Mr. Aitken

The Health and Safety Executive visited Kirkcudbright in 1986 to inspect the handling and firing of DU rounds. Her Majesty's industrial pollution inspectorate was fully consulted in 1980–81 while preparations for DU firing at Kirkcudbright were being made. It visited the range in April this year at our invitation. Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution visited Eskmeals once in 1989 and twice in 1993. A number of visits to Eskmeals took place between 1981 and 1989, but a record of the exact dates is not available.

Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will establish a public inquiry into depleted uranium testing; what representations he has received calling on him to set up such an inquiry; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Aitken

I have no plans to establish such an inquiry. I have received no other such representations.

Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has passed to(a) Dumfries and Galloway regional council, (b) Wigton district council and ( c ) Stewartry district council on the safety, health and environmental precautions to be taken in order to ensure the protection of the local population from the effects arising from the testing of depleted uranium shells at Kirkcudbright test firing range; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Aitken

The results of the monitoring summarised by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces in his replies to the hon. Member for Pembroke (Mr. Ainger) on 14 June,Official Report, columns 473–74, demonstrate that there is no risk either to those who work on the range or to those who live near it. There is, therefore, no need for precautions such as the hon. Member describes.

Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research his Department has carried out or commissioned on the use of tungsten-tipped shells as an alternative to the use of depleted uranium.

Mr. Aitken

My Department is not carrying out any research into the development of a tungsten-tipped tank round for service with the British Army beyond those already in service; nor has it commissioned any.

Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the dates and locations of each of the tests involving depleted uranium shells at Kircudbrighi firing range.

Mr. Aitken

The information is not readily available in the form requested by the hon. Member. Since firing started in March 1982, firing has taken placed on 535 days, with annual totals as follows:

Days
1982 3
1983 20
1984 55
1985 24
1986 26
1987 26
1988 32
1989 59
1990 88
1991 59
1992 87
1993 156
1 To date.

Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many existing or past military or civilian personnel from his Department have contacted his Department regarding possible uranium contamination as a result of being involved in depleted uranium testing; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Aitken

No military or civilian personnel have contacted my Department regarding possible uranium contamination as a result of being involved in the proof-firing of depleted uranium ammunition in the United Kingdom. Three personnel who expressed concern that they may have inhaled depleted uranium dust during training for Operation Desert Storm in Kuwait were subject to monitoring which showed no detectable depleted uranium contamination.