§ Mr. Robin CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average budget allocation for the purchase of 155mm ammunition for(a) 1979 to 1985, (b) 1986 to 1990 and (c) 1991 to 1995. [10584]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotThe average annual budget allocation for the period(c) 1991–1995 is £10.04 million. Complete figures for the earlier periods are no longer available.
§ Mr. CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many 155mm Howitzers of all types are currently in use and in storage for Her Majesty's forces; what is the current average annual training allocation of live 155 mm rounds per 155mm Howitzer; and what is the average annual number of rounds per gun used in training for(a) 1979 to 1985, (b) 1896 to 1990 and (c) 1991 to 1995. [10586]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotOf the two types of 155mm Howitzer currently in service, the AS90 and FH70, 205 are currently in use and 25 are held in storage. The current annual training allocation of live 155mm rounds per 155mm Howitzer is 167 rounds per gun. From 1993 to 1995, the average number of rounds per gun used in training was 286 rounds. Records are not available for the period up to 1993.
§ Mr. CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what length of time it was his Department's policy to retain production and storage records of 155mm shells, including X-ray records from(a) 1966 to 1979, (b) 1979 to 1985, (c) 1986 to 1990 and (d) 1991 to 1995. [10652]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotData record cards are held for the life of the stored ammunition. This has been a consistent policy over recent years.
§ Mr. CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many rounds of 155mm ammunition were produced in the United Kingdom in each of the years 1990 to 1995 845W which were for (a) his Department and (b) export. [10654]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotThe number of 155mm rounds purchased by my Department and manufactured in the United Kingdom during the stated years are:
- 1990: 0
- 1991: 1,000
- 1992: 10,000
- 1993: 0
- 1994: 14,590
- 1995: 14,590
The production of 155mm ammunition for export is a matter for individual companies.
§ Mr. CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many rounds of 155mm ammunition were(a) purchased by his Department in 1980 and (b) sold by his Department in 1980. [10655]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotPurchase records dating back to 1980 are no longer available. With regard to sales in 1980, the relevant files were transferred when the Royal Ordnance factories were vested in British Aerospace plc in 1985.
§ Mr. CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many rounds of 155mm ammunition were, in addition to normal requirements,(a) acquired for use in the Gulf conflict and (b) actually used during the Gulf conflict. [10583]
§ Mr. SoamesSome 70,000 additional rounds of 155mm ammunition were acquired from allies for use in the Gulf conflict. Some 13,000 rounds of ammunition were fired, including ammunition used in training in the theatre of operations.
§ Mr. CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the value of the number of 155mm rounds written off or otherwise destroyed in(a) 1979 to 1985, (b) 1986 to 1990 and (c) 1991 to 1995. [10585]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotNo 155mm rounds were written off or otherwise destroyed during the stated periods.
§ Mr. CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many rounds of 155mm ammunition were(a) purchased by his Department in each year since 1990 and (b) sold as surplus or disposed of by his Department for any other reason in each of the same years. [10587]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotThe following numbers of 155mm ammunition rounds have been purchased since 1990:
- 1990: 15,676
- 1991: 28,072
- 1992: 46,820
- 1993: 30,002
- 1994: 51,438
- 1995: 14,590
No rounds have been sold or disposed of since 1990.
§ Mr. CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons records of 155mm shell sales and records for the disposal of surplus 155mm shells between 1985 and 1990 by his Department are not available as indicated in his answer of 7 November 1995,Official Report, column 666. [10651]
846W
§ Mr. ArbuthnotMy previous answer related to the sale by MOD of surplus 155mm ammunition and not disposal of such ammunition by other means, in the period between 1985 and 1990. Papers relating to such sales, from which the information sought could be obtained, are routinely archived and destroyed when no longer current. Residual file lists suggest that no sales of surplus 155mm ammunition were made by my Department in that period.
§ Mr. CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is(a) the maximum safe storage time of 155mm artillery shells used by his Department and (b) the recommended safe storage time; if he will list (a) and (b) for (i) 1980, (ii) 1985 and (iii) 1990; and what factors underly differences between (a) and (b) for each year. [10653]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotSince 1980, all 155mm ammunition procured by the MOD is designed to provide a service life of 10 years. No distinction is made between maximum and recommended safe storage. For each nature, the service life may be extended subject to appropriate tests and trials being concluded satisfactorily.