§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the oral answer of 4 July to the hon. Member for Blaby,Official Report, column 137, (1) when the Government announced a policy of testing to ensure the procurement of additional anti-personnel land mines is safe, tested and reliable; [35453]
1366W(2) what research his Department intends to carry out to ensure that self-destruct anti-personnel land mines that his Department intends to procure are safe, tested and reliable; and how he intends to ensure that present stocks are safe, tested and reliable. [35452]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotAll equipment procured for use by Her Majesty's armed forces is subject to testing to ensure that it is safe, reliable and fit for purpose. If we procure anti-personnel mines in the future these would be subject 1367W to such tests to ensure that they comply with out requirements for safety and reliability at that time. Stocks of all types of in-service ammunition, including mines, are tested regularly to assess their continued safety and suitability for service. No stocks of self-destruct anti-personnel mines are currently held by my Department.
§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the oral answer of 4 July to the hon. Member for Blaby,Official Report, column 137, (1) what steps he has taken to consider the military usefulness of anti-personnel land mines; [35451]
(2) pursuant to his oral answer of 6 June to the hon. Member for Islwyn, Official Report, column 13, what measures were taken to consider the justifiable military use of some anti-personnel land mines; and if he will list the recipient and nature of Government spending on mine-clearance work. [35470]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotThe need for anti-personnel land mines is kept under review. Such reviews include investigation of possible alternative ways of carrying out the important defensive role which is currently fulfilled by anti-personnel land mines. Recent operational analysis has not identified any weapon system which could act as an effective alternative to anti-personnel land mines.
Government support towards the humanitarian clearance of land mines is undertaken through the Overseas Development Administration.