§ Mr. George Cunninghamasked the Minister of State for Defence whether he has heard the noise emitted by the Army's electronic noise machine; and which of the Ministers in his Department have heard it either before or since its recent use in Northern Ireland.
§ Lord BalnielYes. No other Defence Minister has done so.
§ Mr. George Cunninghamasked the Minister of State for Defence how many Ministers, and how many Members of Parliament who are not Ministers, have visited the secure establishment where the army's three electronic noise machines were kept during 1970 and 1971, respectively.
§ Lord BalnielOne Minister in 1970 who was a member of the previous administration—and one in 1971. No Members of Parliament who were not Ministers visited the establishment in this period.
§ Mr. George Cunninghamasked the Minister of State for Defence on what date British forces first employed, other than for training, an electronic noise machine similar to that described in the Compton Report.
§ Lord BalnielAn electronic noise machine was first used in 1963.
§ Mr. George Cunninghamasked the Minister of State for Defence if he will remove one of the army's electronic noise machines from the secure establishment where it is now kept in order to allow Members of Parliament to see and hear it.
§ Lord BalnielNo.