§ Mr. Donald Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Defence what monitoring has been conducted in the vicinity of the disposal sites for British chemical weapons stocks in the 1950s; and what results there have been.
§ Mr. Butler[pursuant to the reply, 12 March 1985, c. 561]: Disposal of chemical weapons and agents began shortly after World War II and involved both sea and land disposal. Disposal at sea was carried out well offshore and in very deep water. Disposal on land was principally by burning or chemical neutralisation. Periodic monitoring of the land disposal sites has been conducted according to the particular circumstances at each site. A review of a small number of sites, which may remain contaminated and which remain in Ministry of Defence ownership, is currently in hand in order to assess the present degree of hazard, if any, and the feasibility, where appropriate, of decontamination.