HC Deb 15 December 1978 vol 960 cc403-4W
Mr. John Ellis

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many weather buoys are operating; and what is the future programme in this respect.

Mr. Duffy:

On 14th December 1978 two buoys were in operation.

As far as the future programme is concerned, an internal Meteorological Office working group is studying the need of the office for operational weather information from sea areas around the United Kingdom. In parallel with this activity, my Department is participating in a programme sponsored by COST—European Co-operation in Science and Technology —to work towards a European network of ocean data stations, including buoys, to fulfil the needs of meteorology and oceanography. Moreover, my Department is represented on an ad hoc national committee, formed by the Natural Environment Research Council, which is attempting to co-ordinate the requirements and activities of all United Kingdom interests in acquiring data from the marine environment.

Mr. John Ellis

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he knows of any instances when weather buoys have been removed by another Power; and if he will make a statement concerning the circumstances in which this happened.

Mr. Duffy:

As far as weather buoys deployed by my Department are concerned, I know of no incident of removal by another Power.