§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will(a) list the quantity in tonnage and (b) specify the type of (i) chemical weapons and (ii) other munitions dumped in the sea surrounding the British Isles in each of the last 30 years; [17534]
(2) if he will make a statement about the sea dumping of (a) chemical weapons and (b) other munitions in British waters from 1965 to the present day; [17536]
(3) if he will make a statement about the sea dumping of (a) chemical weapons and (b) other munitions in international waters from 1965 to the present day; [17535]
874W(4) if he will list the names of operations undertaken by his Department regarding the sea dumping of munitions; if he will list the location of dump sites; and if he will specify the type and quantity of munitions dumped. [17652]
§ Mr. SoamesThere has been no sea dumping of chemical weapons since 1957. My Department ceased all sea dumping of conventional ammunition and explosive stocks on 1 January 1993 in line with the Oslo and Paris conventions. Complete records do not exist for dumping before this date. Beauforts dyke operated as my Department's main conventional munitions sea dump site between 1920 and 1973, and Hurds Deep, a site 1,000 miles off Land's End, acted as the dump site of redundant or demilitarised munitions from 1973 until sea dumping was terminated. No records are available to cover more distant international waters.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement about the dumping on land of(a) chemical weapons and (b) other munitions from 1965 to the present day; [17532]
(2) if he will (a) list the quantity in tonnage and (b) specify the type of (i) chemical weapons and (ii) other munitions dumped on land in each of the last 30 years; and if he will specify the locations thereof. [17533]
§ Mr. SoamesIt has never been my Department's policy to use land burial as a final disposal route for redundant munitions.