§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Defence, why the board of inquiry was not set up immediately after the discovery of the disappearance of the navigator's log of HMS Conqueror; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HeseltineI have nothing yet to add to my answers to the hon. Member on 13 November, at columns 227–28.
§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he proposes to classify the report of the board of inquiry into the loss of the navigator's log of HMS Conqueror.
§ Mr. HeseltineThe board of inquiry has already classified its report.
§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates the debriefing of the crew of HMS Conqueror took place following the return of the submarine to the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. HeseltineThere is no formal debriefing of the crew of a submarine on return from patrol to the United Kingdom. I understand that senior officers met HMS Conqueror on her return to the United Kingdom on 3 July 1982.
§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the signals log of HMS Conqueror has been retained.
§ Mr. HeseltineAs I explained to the hon. Member on 15 November, signal logs are not retained permanently. I have subsequently confirmed that records available to my Department indicate that the signals log of HMS Conqueror during the Falklands campaign has been destroyed.