Garelochhead Training Area (Hansard, 25 November 1994)

§ Mr. McFall
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the types of weapons which are authorised for(a) live firing and (b) inert firing in the Garelochhead training area; and if he will list the expenditure rates of each weapon type in the Garelochhead training area since 1990.

§ Mr. Soames
The weapons which are authorised for live and inert firing in the Garelochhead training area are as follows:

Weapon Live Inert

7.62 and 5.56mm Rifle Yes Yes

GPMG/LSW Yes Yes

Pistol Yes No

SMG Yes No

Shot guns Yes No

6mm LAW Yes No

94mm LAW Yes Sub-calibre mm round

Grenade Yes No

Explosive on demolitions range up to ½lb charges only Yes No

Thuderflashes Yes No

Statistics are only available on expenditure rates from 1992 for live firing only and are as follows:

Expenditure rates per year since 1992

Weapon Rate

1992

7.62 mm 219,270

454W

Expenditure rates per year since 1992

Weapon Rate

5.56 mm 308,490

9 mm 16,125

94 mm LAW 93

66 mm LAW 67

Grenade L2 943

Shotgun 3000 (Estimate)

Explosives in ½ lb charges 130 lbs (Estimate)

Thunderflashes 1000 (Estimate)

1993

7.62 mm 76,400

5.56 mm 116,220

9 mm 414

94 mm LAW 79

66 mm LAW 274

Grenade L2 744

Shotgun 3000 (Estimate)

Explosives 130 lbs (Estimate)

Thunderflashes 1000 (Estimate)

1994

7.62 mm 134,600

5.62 mm 85,490

9 mm NIL

94 mm LAW 10

66 mm LAW NIL

Grenade L2 207

Shotgun 3000 (Estimate)

Explosives 130 lbs (Estimate)

Thunderflashes 1000 (Estimate)

§ Mr. McFall
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for(a) expansion of the boundaries of the Garelochhead training area and (b) changes to the types of training authorised on the Garelochhead training area.

§ Mr. Soames
My Department has no plans at present to expand the boundaries of the Garelochhead training area, or to change the type of training carried out there.

§ Mr. McFall
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reports have been received since 1990 of infringements by aircraft of the danger area over the Garelochhead training area.

§ Mr. Soames
None.

§ Mr. McFall
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many training man-days have been conducted on the Garelochhead training area in each year since 1988; and what is the capacity, in terms of annual training man-days of the training area.

§ Mr. Soames
The following training man-days have been conducted on the Garelochhead training area each year since 1988:

Year

1988–89 71,967

1989–90 95,875

1990–91 71,929

1991–92 82,345

1992–93 102,866

1993–94 63,289

1994–95 ¹58,289

¹ To date the potential capacity in annual training man days of the training area is approximately 130,000, although this depends on the type of training, availability of personnel and weather conditions.

Weapon	Live	Inert
7.62 and 5.56mm Rifle	Yes	Yes
GPMG/LSW	Yes	Yes
Pistol	Yes	No
SMG	Yes	No
Shot guns	Yes	No
6mm LAW	Yes	No
94mm LAW	Yes	Sub-calibre mm round
Grenade	Yes	No
Explosive on demolitions range up to ½lb charges only	Yes	No
Thuderflashes	Yes	No

Expenditure rates per year since 1992
Weapon	Rate
1992
7.62 mm	219,270

Year
1988–89	71,967
1989–90	95,875
1990–91	71,929
1991–92	82,345
1992–93	102,866
1993–94	63,289
1994–95	¹58,289
¹ To date the potential capacity in annual training man days of the training area is approximately 130,000, although this depends on the type of training, availability of personnel and weather conditions.