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Ministry of Defence

Answer

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what abandoned ordnance was found at Home Farm, West Cottingworth, York, at RAF Escrick, at RAF Clifton, York and at Clifton Moor and Royde Mills, Huddersfield; if the ground has now been cleared; and at what cost. [43927] Mr. Spellar: RAF Escrick situated on Home Farm land at West Cottingworth, was cleared in 1995 in an exercise known as Operation Capsicum Jar. This clearance operation removed six live 61b ground bombs, 2 inert 61b ground bombs and some 4,600 flame floats. Costs of the clearance are not held centrally, and could now be obtained only at disproportionate cost, but we know 728 man-days were spent on the task. Assuming average pay rates this would equate to a rough order of manpower costs of some £30,000. There would have been further costs for plant hired during the clearance operation, but these are not available. We are unable to find any reference to clearance exercises at RAF Clifton. We believe that Royde Mills was an ICI establishment, which was sold to the local authority in 1991.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

43927; 313 c208W

Session

1997-98

Subjects

Ammunition Bombs Bomb disposal Land Flood control Ministry of Defence York Huddersfield RAF Clifton RAF Escrick

Contains statistics

Yes