§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 17 February 2000,Official Report, column 648W, on Bloody Sunday, what efforts his Department is making to recover the 10 rifles which were used on Bloody Sunday and were identified as having been sold to private companies. [111712]
§ Mr. Hoon[holding answer 28 February 2000]: The Ministry of Defence/West Mercia Police investigation, which I announced on 17 February, is urgently investigating the whereabouts of the Bloody Sunday rifles that have been sold and whether it might be possible to recover them. 270W be available then the use of telephone or VTC will be made available subject to operational priorities. If the matter was sufficiently serious for the CO to believe that detention is necessary, he will almost certainly wish the individual to be removed to a rear area where he can be appropriately dealt with.