§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list(a) the exact location of munitions dumps in the English channel south of the Thames and the Severn estuaries, (b) the exact composition of the materials which were put into those dumps, (c) the ports which were used for that dumping, (d) the periods during which those ports were used for dumping, (e) the ships used for such dumping and (f) all monitoring of the dump sites for environment and safety which has taken place since 1966 or is currently taking place; [20182]
511W(2) what assessment he has made of the adequacies of the registration of munitions dump sites in the English channel. [20183]
§ Mr. SoamesRecords of the total tonnages, ports and vessels involved in munitions disposal are not available. From surviving records it has been established that the following general areas, shown more extensively on hydrographic charts, were designated, although not necessarily used, as conventional explosive dumping grounds in the English channel before 1973:
Area Position Hurd Deep 49 30 00 N—3 34 00 W St. Catherines Deep 50 34 00 N—1 12 00 W NW of Alderney 2 sites 49 50 00 N—2 18 00 W NW of Alderney 49 47 00 N—2 17 00 W SSW of Guernsey 49 18 00 N—2 42 00 W Whitesand Bay, Plymouth 50 18 45 N—4 16 00W Current scientific advice indicates that dump sites present no significant risk to safety, human health or the marine environment if left undisturbed.