Written question asked by Harry Cohen (Labour) on Tuesday, 14 November 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 21 November 2000. It was answered by Lord Spellar (Labour) on Tuesday, 21 November 2000 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Ministry of Defence

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many visits have been made by nuclear-powered submarines to each Z berth in each of the last five years. - Inc table and fact that to provide details of all movement between Z berths within UK Naval Bases could be provided only at disproportional cost.

Answer: Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many visits have been made by nuclear-powered submarines to each Z berth in each of the last five years. [139053] Mr. Spellar: Since 1995 UK submarines have made 29 visits to alongside Z berths outside of UK Naval Bases. In addition to the alongside Z berths, there are a number of mooring buoys that have Z berth status in Plymouth Sound, at Spithead, off the Isle of Skye, Loch Ewe, off Rothesay, and in Loth Goil and at Mare Harbour in the Falkland Islands. Submarines use these mooring buoys, sometimes for as little as an hour or two, to carry out crew transfers or to take on high priority spare parts, and detailed records are not kept of all such visits. To provide details of all movement between Z berths within UK Naval Bases could be provided only at disproportional cost. Details of visits to alongside Z berths are: _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Location 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Southampton 0 0 1 0 0 Cardiff{1} 0 1 0 0 0 Liverpool 0 2 0 1 0 Gibraltar 4 4 3 2 6 Bermuda 1 1 0 1 0 Hong Kong{2} 1 0 1 0 0 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} Cardiff no longer has Z berth status {2} Hong Kong no longer has Z berth status

Secondary information