§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many phosphorus flares or incendiary devices have been washed up on the Northern Ireland coastline in the past year; and what action he has taken to identify the source of these phosphorus flares and to prevent more being deposited on Northern Ireland beaches.
§ Mr. Mates[holding answer 14 June 1993]: I am advised that up to 7 June 1993, a total of 205 phosphorus flares had been washed up on the Northern Ireland coastline. A contract has been let to a waste disposal company for the collection and disposal of any of these flares which are identified and notified to the Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland). It is believed that the majority of the flares are from private vessels and merchant shipping which have been washed or thrown overboard; in addition, a proportion may have been illegally dumped.