HC Deb 21 November 1991 vol 199 cc298-9W
Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many houses are owned by the Ministry of Defence in Fife, North-East; and what is the current occupancy rate.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

As at 30 September 1991, the latest date for which figures are available, the Ministry of Defence owned 726 houses and flats in the Fife, North-East constituency, of which 633 were occupied representing 87 per cent. of the total stock. Many of the unoccupied properties were either undergoing or awaiting major maintenance work or modernisation or were already allotted to service families who were due to move in shortly. In addition, two properties were in the process of being sold.

Date Vessel Area Incident
28 June 1989 FV Huntress Clyde Submarine snagged nets
12 September 1989 FV Contester Irish Sea Submarine communications buoy became caught in nets
13 November 1989 FV Scotia Off Lewis Submarine snagged nets
22 November 1990 FV Antares Clyde Submarine snagged nets and as a result the fishing vessel capsized and sank

Over the same period, there were also two incidents involving United States submarines in United Kingdom waters, neither of which involved the loss of life.

There have been no changes in the arrangements for reporting incidents between Royal Navy ships and civilian craft.

Mr. Foulkes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all compensation payments(a) already made and (b) outstanding to owners of fishing boats for damage caused by submarine activity in each year since 1979.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

The following list relates solely to damage caused or alleged to be caused by Royal Navy submarines:

Number of claims and compensation paid
1979
Number of claims made 4
Number refuted 1
Number settled 3
Amount of compensation paid £1,008.00
1980
Number of claims made 1
Number settled 1
Amount of compensation paid £2,900.00
1981
Number of claims made 1
Number settled 1
Amount of compensation paid £2,80000
1982
Number of claims made 2
Number settled 2
Amount of compensation paid £451,00000
1983
Number of claims made 4
Number refuted 3
Number settled 1
Amount of compensation paid £24,273.96
1984
Number of claims 1
Number settled 1
Amount of compensation paid £8,013.54
1985
No incidents