HC Deb 29 June 1994 vol 245 cc573-4W
Mr. Fabricant

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the purpose of the destruction of British tanks and armoured cars at Castlemartin army range on 20 to 25 June.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

A total of 37 tanks and 12 armoured combat vehicles were destroyed at the Castlemartin range in order to comply with the United Kingdom's obligations as a state party to the conventional armed forces in Europe treaty. The treaty, which all NATO and former Warsaw pact countries have ratified, is aimed at reducing the possibility of war in Europe and required signatories to reducing numbers of heavy weapons to much lower levels by the end of 1995. In total the United Kingdom is committed to destroying 183 tanks, 30 armoured combat vehicles and four combat helicopters. In comparison the Russian Federation, which has by far the largest reduction liability, will destroy over 3,000 tanks, 5,500 armoured cars, 660 pieces of artillery, 99 helicopters and more than 1,000 combat aircraft.