§ Dr. David Kerrasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will provide facilities for hon. Members to visit the Army Experimental Station at Nancekuke.
§ Mr. John MorrisI understand that my hon. Friend is concerned with possible hazards to the local population posed by the presence of this outstation of the Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment. I can assure him that stringent precautions are taken and there is no danger. I regret that I cannot accede to his request for facilities for hon. Members to visit Nancekuke because a significant part of the rôle of the station is secret.
§ Dr. David Kerrasked the Secretary of State for Defence when he proposes to publish the results of research conducted at the Army Experimental Station, Nancekuke, and in which scientific journals.
§ Mr. John MorrisNancekuke is an outstation of the Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment, Porton, which has 101W published papers on the results of research. Papers specifically relating to work at Nancekuke have been published in British Chemical Engineering, The Industrial Chemist, Transactions of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, Journal of Applied Chemistry, and Chemistry and Industry.
§ Dr. David Kerrasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many cases of illness or accident have occurred in each of the last three years among scientists and other workers engaged in research at the Army Experimental Station, Nancekuke; and in which hospitals they were treated.
§ Mr. John MorrisApart from the normal incidence of sickness, there have been no cases of illness or accident among workers engaged in research at Nancekuke during the last three years.
§ Dr. David Kerrasked the Secretary of State for Defence how much water was taken from Williams' mine-shaft for use at the Army Experimental Station, Nancekuke, during 1965, 1966 and 1967; what particular quality of the water commended it for use there; and what alternative sources of supply were considered.
§ Mr. John MorrisThe figures are:
million gallons 1965 … … … … 14 1966 … … … … 13.4 1967 … … … … 5.6 Williams' mine-shaft was the most readily available source of fresh water. Other mine-shafts were considered, but were less suitable on grounds of availability and flow.
§ Dr. David Kerrasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many biochemists, biophysicists and bacteriologists, respectively, are engaged in experimental works at the Army Experimental Station, Nancekuke.
§ Mr. John MorrisNone.
§ Dr. David Kerrasked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost of the buildings erected in 1963 at Portreath to form part of the Army Experimental Station, Nancekuke.
§ Mr. John MorrisNo such buildings were erected in 1963. There has been no construction in that station since the102W early 1950's. The cost of the work done at that time is not readily available.
§ Dr. David Kerrasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set up an inquiry into the danger to the middle and inner ears of swimmers in the Portreath area due to the use of a sonar screen round the Army Experimental Station, Nancekuke.
§ Mr. John MorrisThe effects of underwater transmissions on divers, including skin divers with no ear protection, have been examined in detail by a sub-committee of the Medical Research Council. The transmissions referred to, which are being carried out by the Navy Department for oceanographic research purposes, and have no connection with the Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment, Portreath, could cause no more than minor and temporary discomfort even to skin divers in the immediate vicinity.