HC Deb 01 November 1995 vol 265 cc338-9W
Ms Mowlam

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the locations in Northern Ireland where old armaments have been washed up on the shoreline in the past 10 years. [39643]

Mr. Moss

No old armaments are recorded as having been washed up on the shoreline in Northern Ireland in the past 10 years.

Ms Mowlam

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many incidents have been reported by fishermen in Northern Ireland of catching dumped armaments in their nets in the 10 years. [39625]

Mr. Ancram

Such information is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Armaments caught in fishermen's nets may come from a number of sources other than dumping, including shipwrecks or bombing.

Ms Mowlam

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the fish caught for consumption in Northern Ireland is caught in or around the Beaufort dyke area. [39639]

Mr. Ancram

It is estimated that, of the total quantity of fish landed into Northern Ireland in 1994, less than 4 per cent. was caught in or around the Beaufort dyke area. No information is available on how much of this is consumed in Northern Ireland.

Ms Mowlam

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of armaments washed up on the shoreline in Northern Ireland can be identified as having drifted out of the Beaufort dyke munitions dump in the last 10 years. [39638]

Mr. Moss

No armaments are recorded as having been washed up on the shoreline in Northern Ireland in the past 10 years.

Ms Mowlam

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many phosphorus incendiary bombs have been washed up on the Antrim coast in the past 10 years. [39641]

Mr. Moss

The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland has no record of phosphorous incendiary bombs having been washing up on any part of the Northern Ireland coast in the past 10 years. However, early in May 1993, the Department began to receive reports that a number of unidentified phosphorous canisters were being washed ashore, mainly in County Antrim.

Although there is no record of the number washed ashore, the Department has arranged for the recovery and safe disposal of 84 such objects in 1993, six in 1994 and one to date in 1995.

Ms Mowlam

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many fishermen in Northern Ireland have reported injuries caused to themselves or crew members of their trawlers due to handling weapons and dumped armaments which have become caught up in their fishing nets in the past 10 years. [39640]

Mr. Ancram

We are not aware of any such cases.

Ms Mowlam

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many fishermen in Northern Ireland fish in or around the Beaufort dyke area. [39642]

Mr. Ancram

It is estimated that 33 Northern Ireland fishing vessels employing about 150 fishermen fished in and around Beaufort dyke in 1994.