Ordnance (Hansard, 14 March 2003)

§ Mr. Liddell-Grainger
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much ordnance was disposed of in the UK in(a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02 and (c) 2002–03; [98298]
(2) what procedure is used by the MOD to dispose of old ordnance; and where it is disposed of. [98297]

§ Mr. Ingram
Out of shelf life ordnance, or that for which no market can be found, is destroyed by the Ministry of Defence under a contract with QinetiQ. Any base materials (i.e. brass cartridge cases) are sold for recycling.
Disposal by sale of surplus ordnance is the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence's Disposal Services Agency (DSA). That which is not sold overseas on a Government to Government basis (or gifted to Jordan under the Al Hussein Project) is disposed of within the United Kingdom or overseas by sale to properly licensed concerns through DSA's Marketing Agreement with Royal Ordnance PLC (now BAE systems).
Ordnance destroyed is as follows:
2000:

17,265,342 round of small arms ammunition .22 to 30mm, grenades and mortar bombs.

102,156 rounds of large calibre e.g. 105mm to 155mm, 4.5 inch ammunition.

159,995 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Arisings.

2001:

5,470,802 rounds of small arms ammunition .22 to 30mm, grenades and mortar bombs.

60,978 rounds of large calibre e.g. 105mm to 155mm, 4.5 inch ammunition.

392,930 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Arisings.

2002:

1,212,124 rounds of small arms ammunition .22 to 30mm, grenades and mortar bombs.

241,861 rounds of large calibre e.g. 105mm to 155mm, 4.5 inch ammunition.

127,851 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Arisings.

436W
The quantities of ordnance sold via Royal Ordnance PLC are as follows:
2000:

7,114,866 rounds of small arms ammunition.

2001:

1,228,970 rounds of small arms ammunition.

2002:

686,998 rounds of small arms ammunition.

§ Richard Younger-Ross
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what redundant(a) weapons and (b) munitions have been sold since 1997; and to whom. [97288]

§ Mr. Ingram
[holding answer 11 February 2003] : Surplus weapons and mtutitions sold in the last five years are listed as follows:
1998–99
Weapons: Nil
Munitions:
9,599,691 rounds to licensed companies—via Royal Ordnance PLC (now BAE SYSTEMS)
1999–2000
Weapons:
Light Gun—Royal Ordnance PLC
SLRs associated leaning equipment, magazines—FCO (for subsequent gifting to Sierra Leone as part of a wider assistance package)
Munitions:
30,626,813 rounds to licensed companies—via Royal Ordnance PLC
AIM Sidewinder Missiles—MOD Oman
1,999,931 rounds— FCO (for subsequent gifting to Sierra Leone as part of a wider assistance package)
2000–01
Weapons: Nil
Munitions:
Exocet missiles and homing heads—Aerospatiale France
Stingray Warheads—BAE SYSTEMS
Stingray Torpedoes—Norway
10,970,167 rounds to licensed companies—Via Royal Ordnance Plc
2001–02
Weapons: Nil
Munitions:
Mk46 Torpedoes—Raytheon Naval and Marine 8,738,5149 rounds to licensed companies—Systems via Royal Ordnance Plc
2002–03
Weapons: Nil
Munitions:
30 mm Aden Ammunition—BAE SYSTEMS
13,621,235 rounds to licensed companies—via Royal Ordnance Plc
Note:
Rounds referred to above were all either 7.62 mm, 5.56 mm or 0.303 mm ammunition.