HC Deb 04 February 1948 vol 446 cc286-7W
87. Sir J. Mellor

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what international arrangements have been made to clear the North Sea of mines; and how far these arrangements have been carried out.

Mr. Dugdale

In November, 1945, an organisation, entitled the International Central Mine Clearance Board was set up by agreement between France, Great Britain, U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R. Under the Central Board, an East Atlantic Zone Board is responsible for mine clearance in the North Sea. The President of the Central Board, who is an officer of the Royal Navy, also presides over this Zone Board.

The East Atlantic zone is divided into sub-areas which are the responsibility respectively of Belgium, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Holland and Norway. In addition, a large area was assigned to the German Mine Sweeping Administration under British control. The German Minesweeping Administration was disbanded on 31st December last and was replaced by the Frontier Control Service with a retired officer of the Royal Naval Reserve at its head.

All moored mines in the North Sea have been swept. There are areas where aircraft-laid ground mines still exist, and these mines, which are particularly difficult to sweep remain a danger to shipping. Swept channels, duly buoyed, have been established through these areas and, provided ships keep to these channels, there is only a small and very remote risk.

These areas (covering approximately 8,000 square miles) are too vast to be swept, but in the course of time will become safe as the mines become inert. It is estimated that this period may possibly extend until about 1956, but an annual test is carried out in this zone to determine more closely the probable life of these mines. The coasts of Belgium, Holland and Germany which are included in the area of 8,000 square miles remain the only areas where ground mines are heavily concentrated. Sweeping operations are being continued here and the cleared channels are progressively widened. Sweeping in the Thames Estuary will begin again in the Spring.

Since the beginning of post-war mine clearance more than 7,000 mines have been destroyed in the East Atlantic zone. An area of approximately 24,000 square miles, which was previously dangerous to shipping on account of mines, has been opened to unrestricted navigation.