HC Deb 05 June 2000 vol 351 c5W
28. Mr. Brady

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the number of opportunities for training with live ammunition in each of the last five years. [122667]

Mr. Spellar

Service personnel are trained, individually and collectively, in all aspects of their roles, and live firing of weapons is one element of a balanced training programme which is subject to the constraints of time, money and infrastructure. The opportunities available to military personnel to train with live ammunition vary according to the specialisation of the individual concerned, and also according to the operational role of the formed unit to which that individual belongs. Because most live firing is carried out at unit level, the information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.