§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton (Mr. Latham),Official Report, 10 January, column 679, if he will give the locations, dates and methods of destruction of the United Kingdom chemical weapons stockpile, to which he made reference.
§ Mr. SainsburyThe United Kingdom abandoned its offensive capability in chemical warfare in the late 1950s. United Kingdom chemical weapons were disposed of over a lengthy period and it would require disproportionate effort to research old records for precise locations, dates and methods. However, I can confirm that all known stocks were disposed of, although from time to time there are discoveries of buried items dating back to the two world wars, which are taken to the chemical defence establishment at Porton Down for safe disposal.