Written question asked by Alasdair Morgan (Scottish National Party) on Tuesday, 27 February 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 12 March 2001. It was answered by Lord Spellar (Labour) on Monday, 12 March 2001 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Ministry of Defence

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much depleted uranium is unaccounted for or missing as a result of the malfunction of the test rig which was placed on the sea bed at the Dundrennan range in 2000.

Answer: Mr. Alasdair Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much depleted uranium is unaccounted for or missing as a result of the malfunction of the test rig which was placed on the sea bed at the Dundrennan range in 2000. [151845] Mr. Spellar: The depleted uranium samples attached to the test rig damaged by heavy seas in the Solway Firth, and which are now missing, amount to 20.76kg. This is the equivalent of four depleted uranium rounds. If not recovered in a diving exercise planned for the week beginning 5 March, this material will oxidise and disperse in exactly the same way as the existing penetrator rounds, causing a negligible increase above the level of uranium occurring naturally in sea water. Since 1982, when firing of DU rounds into the sea began, there has been no detectable increase in uranium levels in samples of sea water, sea-bed sediment and shellfish taken in the area.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 151845; 364 c411W
Session: 2000-01
Subjects: Ammunition Contamination Scotland Depleted uranium Solway Firth Kirkcudbright Training Area
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk