HL Deb 28 November 1996 vol 576 cc17-8WA
Lord Glentoran

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the outcome of the most recent survey work at Beaufort's Dyke, following the publication in January 1996 of last year's survey results.

The Earl of Lindsay

Copies of the final survey report produced by the Scottish Office Marine Laboratory at Aberdeen have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses today. The report confirms that there is no evidence of munitions having an adverse effect on the quality of the marine environment, or the living resources that it supports. It also confirms the results of the earlier survey which found that concentrations of munitions had been deposited outwith the Beaufort's Dyke munitions disposal area. The main results of the survey are as follows.

The levels of heavy metals throughout the survey area were within the ranges reported in seabed sediments from other Scottish coastal areas, and similar to the levels previously reported in sediments from the Irish Sea.

There was no evidence of the chemical warfare agents phosgene or mustard gas. Analysis for munition-related determinands confirmed that the samples did not contain nitroglycerine, 2,4,6 trinitrotoluene, RDX or tetryl.

Analysis of the edible flesh of commercially exploited fish and shellfish samples confirmed that the levels of heavy metals were within prescribed public health standards.

Analysis of the edible flesh of commercially exploited fish and shellfish species collected from the northern end of the Beaufort's Dyke trench confirmed that the samples did not contain nitroglycerine, 2,4,6 trinitrotoluene, RDX or tetryl.

Side-scan sonar, underwater television and pulse induction surveys confirmed that the centre of distribution of dumped munitions and munitions-related materials is located within, and immediately adjacent to, the northeast sector of the Beaufort's Dyke explosives disposal site.

Low to high densities of dumped munitions, munitions-related materials and unidentified man-made debris were found in areas outside the charted explosives disposal ground.

The presence of low to high densities of dumped munitions, munitions-related materials and unidentified man-made debris in an area crossed by the submarine gas pipeline installed between the Rhins of Galloway and Northern Ireland was confirmed.

The presence of low to medium densities of dumped munitions, munitions-related materials and unidentified man-made debris, at a number of discrete points in the area crossed by the proposed routing corridor for submarine electricity cables linking Scotland and Northern Ireland, was confirmed.

Dumped munitions and munitions-related materials were not found in the area crossed by the submarine gas pipeline installed between Wigtown Bay and the Republic of Ireland.

The Hydrographer of the Navy will arrange for the relevant Admiralty charts to be updated as appropriate. Government departments with regulatory responsibilities for marine engineering works will take full account of the survey's findings.