Written question asked by Robert Key (Conservative) on Thursday, 21 October 1999, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 27 October 1999. It was answered by Lord Spellar (Labour) on Wednesday, 27 October 1999 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Ministry of Defence

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the total cost of Operation Abbott. - Includes figure.

Answer: Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total cost of Operation Abbott. [95804] Mr. Spellar: The cost to date of the operation to clear buried wartime ordnance at Winterbourne Gunner carried out between November 1998 and July 1999, Operation ABBOTT, is some £500,000. This amount relates to the clearance operation, compensation paid to freehold and tenant farmers for loss of harvest and payments made to DERA Porton Down. Negotiations continue with DERA Porton Down over the cost of disposal of the remaining items. The final cost of the operation will not be known until the disposal programme, scheduled to finish in the financial year 2002-03, has been completed.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 95804; 336 c892W
Session: 1998-99
Subjects: Ammunition Costs Bomb disposal Land Defence Evaluation and Research Agency Defence Nuclear Biological and Chemical Centre
Contains statistics: Yes