§ Mr. John BrowneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether metal detectors were used as part of the range clearance or safety measures before Grenadier guardsmen Adrian Hicks, John Ray and Sean Povey were ordered to dig a trench in an impact area of the Batus live firing range in Canada on 7 July 1989.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonMetal detectors are not used as part of the range clearance measures at the Batus training area. The range covers some 2,630 sq km (1,000 sq mi) and it would be impractical to use detectors to sweep the area.
§ Mr. John BrowneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the findings and of the summary findings of the board of612W inquiry into the Batus range accident of 7 July 1989 involving Grenadier guardsmen Adrian Hicks, John Ray and Sean Povey.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonI will arrange for a summary of the findings of the board of inquiry into this incident to be placed in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. John BrowneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement outlining the reasons for his conclusion that no blame attached to anyone for the detonation of an unexploded shell that caused grievous injuries to Grenadier guardsmen Adrian Hicks, John Ray and Sean Povey.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonLegal advice was that it was not reasonably foreseeable that there should be a buried live munition at the spot where the trench was being dug and there was no blame attributable.