Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list in theOfficial Report all instances of Royal Navy surface or submarine vessels in collision, or otherwise in contact, with commercial vessels in the Irish sea since May 1979.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonIn the case of surface vessels, this information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost and effort. Incidents in which Royal Navy submarines have been in collision with surface vessels or their gear since 1 January 1980, in or around the Irish sea, are as follows:
Date 17 November 1981 FV Sapphire Clyde Area 18 April 1982 FV Sharelga Irish Sea 10 March 1983 FV Targuen Irish Sea 11 August 1984 FV Huntress Clyde Area 6 December 1987 FV Prevail North Channel 2 July 1988 Yacht Dalriada North Channel 16 July 1988 Yacht Drum FV Brilliant North Channel 27 October 1988 Star Sound of Bute 28 June 1989 FV Huntress Clyde Area 12 September 1989 FV Contester Irish Sea