§ Mr. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide tables for the United Kingdom, for England and Wales, for Scotland and for Northern Ireland of(a) the number of defence forces based there, (b) the area of defence lands, (c) the area of defence lands acquired and (d) the area of defence lands released for each year since 1962.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonMy noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State will write to the hon. Member.
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§ Mr. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many miles of new permissive footpaths have been opened up over defence lands since 1974.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonRecords of permissive footpaths are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total area of defence lands contaminated with mines, unexploded bombs and ammunition which have been cleared in each year since 1974; and when it is expected all lands not now used for live firing will be cleared.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe area of land cleared each year since 1974–75 is as follows:
Financial Year Area Cleared (hectares) 1974–75 1,232 1975–76 1,220 1976–77 2,042 1977–78 1,905 1978–79 1,526 1979–80 1,993 1980–81 1,909 1981–82 1,923 1982–83 1,250 1983–84 1,138 1984–85 2,173 1985–86 1,586 1986–87 1,825 1987–88 1,384 1988–89 936 1989–90 2,272 1990–91 1,599 1991–92 1,183 On current plans, work will continue into the next century.
§ Mr. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many foreign troops have used United Kingdom defence lands for training exercises other than in small numbers training alongside United Kingdom troops, in each year since 1974.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonMy noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence will write to the hon. Member.