§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his replies of 28 October,Official Report, column 338, to the hon. Member for Burnley, he has any proposals to tighten security at locations where the Air Training Corps and similar bodies store arms and ammunition; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FreemanArrangements for the security storage of arms and ammunition in the service cadet forces are kept under constant review.
In the Air Training Corps a major programme of works services to improve units' physical security has been under way for the past three years. Custom-made steel containers have been installed for the storage of ammunition and rifle bolts, and new alarm systems are being installed. New buildings will have concrete armouries fitted with steel
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Date Place Unit Stolen Recovered Air Training Corps (ATC) 1. October 1986 Woodford 241 (Wanstead and Woodford) Squadron 610 rounds of .22 in. ammunition 2. October 1986 Bideford 1146 (North Devon) Squadron 2 x .22 in. rifles 700 rounds of .22 in. ammunition 3. October 1986 Birmingham 165 (Castle Bromwich) Squadron 450 rounds of .22 in. ammunition 4. November 1986 Montrose 2288 (Montrose) Squadron 100 rounds of .22 in. ammunition All rounds 5. March 1987 Folkestone 99 (Folkestone) Squadron 1,300 rounds of .22 in. ammunition 6. March 1987 Berkhamsted 1113 (Berkhamsted) Squadron 1 x.303 in. drill purpose rifle bolt 7. March 1987 Blackpool 2459 (Poulton Le Fylde) Squadron 2 x .22 in. rifles 2 x .303 in. drill purpose rifles 62 rounds of .303 in. drill purpose ammunition 8. March 1987 Smethwick 494 (Smethwick) Squadron 520 rounds of .22 in. ammunition 9. April 1987 Mid Glamorgan 2318 (Aberkenfig) Squadron 1 x .22 in. rifle 800 rounds of .22 in. ammunition Rifle and 738 rounds 10. June 1987 Bristol 2386 (Kingswood) Squadron 3 x .303 in. drill purpose bolts 2 x .303 in. drill purpose magazines 11. September 1987 Burnley 352 (Burnley) Squadron 35 rounds of drill purpose ammunition 12 x .303 in. drill purpose magazines 12 x .303 in. drill purpose bolts 5 x .22 in. bolts 397 rounds of .22 in. ammunition All items apart from .22 in. ammunition Army Cadet Force (ACF) and Combined Cadet Force (CCF) 1. October 1986 Glenrothes Kennoway Det. ACF 2 x air rifles 1 x .303 in. skeleton drill purpose rifle 2. December 1986 Hilsea 6 P1 B Coy, Hants and I.O.W. ACF 1 x LMG drill purpose 10 rounds of drill purpose ammunition doors. A programme of security education has been undertaken for all ATC personnel. Crime prevention surveys of all units are also being carried out.
In the Army Cadet Force and Combined Cadet Force a survey is currently being conducted into the standard and state of existing armouries. Some new armouries are being provided and older armouries are being strengthened by the provision of window grilles, stronger doors and more secure locks. Structurally approved armouries are being upgraded by installing alarm systems linked to police stations or private homes.
In the Sea Cadet Corps naval security staff carry out regular and spot checks of each unit's security arrangements and if these are not up to standard arms and ammunition are removed until security has been improved. Special contingency plans have been agreed with the police to deal with any thefts, especially in inner city areas.
Security arrangements for the storage of arms and ammunition by the service cadet forces are prescribed centrally by my Department and comply fully with the requirements of the Firearms Act 1968.
§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his replies of 28 October,Official Report, column 338, to the hon. Member for Burnley, he will give the place and details regarding each of the 53 break-ins which occurred over the past 12 months at sites where the Air Training Corps and other similar bodies store arms and ammunition.
§ Mr. FreemanDetails of break-ins involving arms and ammunition (including inert drill purpose items) over the 12 month period October 1986 to September 1987 at service cadet corps sites are as follows:
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Date Place Unit Stolen Recovered 3. January 1987 Bury St. Edmunds Ixworth P1, Suffolk ACF 3 x .22 in. rifles (less bolts) 4 x .177 in. air rifles 4. February 1987 Brigg Brigg Det, Humberside ACF 262 rounds of .22 in. ammunition 1,000 x .177 in. air rifle pellets 62 rounds and all pellets 5. February 1987 Dunmow Dunmow Det, Essex ACF 9 x rifle bolts 1 x LMG breech block drill purpose 6. February 1987 Kilmarnock Kilmarnock Det, Ayr and Renfrew ACF 2 x .22 in. rifles 2 x air rifles All items 7. February 1987 Newbiggin Newbiggin Det, Northumbria ACF 6 x .303 in. drill purpose rifle bolts 8. March 1987 Cwm Cwm Det, Gwent ACF 1,000 x air rifle pellets 9. April 1987 Dundee RA Det, Angus and Dundee BN ACF 3 x .177 in. air rifles All items 10. May 1987 Wallington 149 Cadet Det, Wallington 10 x drill purpose rounds 11. June 1987 Aberdeen Woodside Det, Gordon Highlanders ACF 1 x .303 in. drill purpose rifle 1 x .303 in. drill purpose magazine 10 x .303 in. drill purpose rounds 1 x .303 in. drill purpose rifle 12. July 1987 Plympton King Tamerton School ACF 2 x .22 in. air rifles 13. July 1987 Oldham Heywood Det, Manchester ACF 3 x .303 in. drill purpose rifles 2 x .177 in. air rifles 4 x bolts 20 x .303 in. drill purpose rounds 14. July 1987 Cullompton Cullompton Det, Devon ACF 6 x .303 in. drill purpose rifles 55 x .303 in. drill purpose rounds 2 'tubes' containing 20 air rifle pellets 15. August 1987 Poole Lytchett Matravers Det, Dorset ACF 1 x 22 in. air rifle 3 x .303 in. drill purpose rifles 1 x LMG drill purpose Sea Cadet Corps (SCC) 1. May 1987 Winsford Winsford-Middlewich Unit, Cheshire 2 x .303 in. drill purpose rifles 2. September 1987 Guildford Guildford Unit, Surrey 1 x drill purpose machine gun These figures have been compiled using the latest information available and update the figures previously provided. Twenty-two break-ins included in my previous answer did not involve arms or ammunition, while three others fall outside the given period.