§ Mr. Nicholas Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's assessment of the role of the conventional naval mine in modern warfare as both a defensive and offensive weapon.
§ Mr. Ian StewartRecent events in the Gulf demonstrate the threat that can be posed to surface shipping by conventional naval mines. Additionally, the conventional naval mine can be employed as an anti-submarine weapon system with options for use in an offensive or defensive role.
§ Mr. Nicholas Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list for each NATO country the estimated number of conventional naval mines held by each country;
(2) if he will list for each NATO country the estimated annual production of conventional naval mines in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Ian StewartIt is not our practice, for good reasons of security, to give details of stocks or production rates of munitions of this kind.