§ Mr. BoyesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what monitoring has taken place of sites used for sea dumping of British chemical warfare stocks, and what have been the results of any such monitoring.
§ Mr. NeubertThere has been no systematic monitoring of sites where chemical warfare stocks were sea dumped. However, there are no indications of leakage or of any identified hazard to health were that to happen.
§ Mr. BoyesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the locations and depths of all sites at sea where British chemical warfare stocks have been dumped.
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§ Mr. NeubertThe 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. 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.