§ Mr. SedgemoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 19 June,Official Report, column 262–63, why the RUC was not informed immediately when it became apparent that some plastic baton rounds were firing faster than the specified velocity. [8264]
§ Dr. Reid[holding answer 11 July 1997]: As I explained in answers to my hon. Friend on 19 June, Official Report, column 263 and 1 July, Official Report, column 738, the assessment of initial tests in early 1996 62W showed that the tests were not conclusive. Following further tests, my Department decided in February 1997 that plastic baton rounds manufactured in 1994 should be withdrawn. The RUC were notified of this in March.
§ Mr. SedgemoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 19 June,Official Report, columns 262–63, how many of the 45,000 withdrawn plastic baton rounds are to be (a) reworked and (b) incinerated. [8273]
§ Dr. Reid[holding answer 11 July 1997]: Following further consideration, we have decided that of the 45,000 rounds, 14,000 will be considered for reworking but may be incinerated if they do not meet the required standard. The remaining rounds not being reworked will be expended in training.
§ Mr. SedgemoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what happened to the plastic baton rounds from the faulty batch supplied in 1994 which were neither among those withdrawn in April this year nor among those fired by the RUC and the Army since that time. [8265]
§ Dr. Reid[holding answer 11 July 1997]: All batches of baton rounds manufactured in 1994 were withdrawn from operational use in April.
§ Mr. SedgemoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 30 June,Official Report, columns 62–63, if the guidelines ruling the use of plastic baton rounds by the armed forces are a classified document. [8275]
§ Dr. Reid[holding answer 11 July 1997]: The guidelines currently issued to service men are classified restricted. I have, however, decided that, in accordance with the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, the information concerned should be made available. As my hon. Friend will know from my letter of 7 July, a copy of the current text of the guidelines has been placed in the Library.
§ Mr. SedgemoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 19 June,Official Report, columns 262–63, what facts need to be established before he can consider action against the manufacturer of faulty plastic baton rounds. [8272]
§ Dr. Reid[holding answer 11 July 1997]: The case for possible action against the manufacturer will be considered when a more detailed assessment of the cause of the problems can be completed.
§ Mr. SedgemoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence who monitors the use of plastic baton rounds by the Army in Northern Ireland. [8270]
§ Dr. Reid[holding answer 11 July 1997]: The use of plastic baton rounds by the Army in Northern Ireland is monitored by commanders at all levels.
§ Mr. SedgemoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 10 June,Official Report, column 372, what procedures were in place in 1994 to ensure that stocks of plastic baton rounds continued to conform to specifications; and what new procedures are now being put in place to ensure that existing stocks of plastic baton rounds continue to conform to specifications. [8271]
63W
§ Dr. Reid[holding answer 11 July 1997]: All batches of rounds were tested by the contractor at the time of manufacture to enable the Department to accept them against the proof specification. There was no further regular in-service testing within the shelf life of the baton rounds, other than observation of performance in training. A new regime of testing is being introduced for all future purchases, under which each batch will be tested by the manufacturer followed by an independent assessment directly after manufacture and then regularly during the service life of each batch.
§ Mr. SedgemoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 30 June,Official Report, column 73–74, if alternative supplies of plastic baton rounds meeting the correct specifications were available early in 1995 when it became apparent that the 1994 rounds were faulty. [8268]
§ Mr. SedgemoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 30 June,Official Report, columns 262–63, when the results of tests on baton rounds manufactured in 1996 became available. [8274]
§ Dr. Reid[holding answer 11 July 1997]: The contractor's test results were available immediately after manufacture of each lot between January and October 1996. Additional firing tests were completed in August 1996 with a report available in October 1996.
§ Mr. SedgemoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 30 June,Official Report, column 73–74, if the plastic baton rounds made in 1996 were specifically manufactured to ensure that their velocities were below the recommended level. [8267]
§ Dr. Reid[holding answer 11 July 1997]: The 1996 rounds were specifically manufactured to ensure that their velocities were below the upper specification limit of 70 metres per second.