§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Defence what action he is taking following the incidents near Pirbright Army ranges on 20 April and 21 June; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HeseltineI asked for Army boards of inquiry to be set up to examine these incidents. Yesterday I gave instructions that there is to be no live firing on any land range in the United Kingdom under MOD control until the three services completed an urgent and thorough check of range safety standards and procedures.
Individual ranges will be reopened as soon as I have been assured by the appropriate senior officers that all safety procedures and standards have been checked. I would expect the great majority of individual ranges to be reopened within a matter of days.