Written question asked by Roger Williams (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 5 October 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 2 November 2004. It was answered by Ivor Caplin (Labour) on Tuesday, 2 November 2004 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Ministry of Defence

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department started using the Harley Dingle site for (a) the training of personnel and (b) the testing of weapons; and when each activity ceased; whether the Harley Dingle site was ever used by his Department as a testing ground for (a) armour piercing munition and (b) any munition containing depleted uranium.

Answer: Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when his Department started using the Harley Dingle site for (a) the training of personnel and (b) the testing of weapons; and when each activity ceased; [190226] (2) whether the Harley Dingle site was ever used by his Department as a testing ground for (a) armour piercing munition and (b) any munition containing depleted uranium. [193875] Mr. Caplin: The Ministry of Defence has never owned the Harley Dingle site nor have we any record of the MOD's involvement in the testing of weapons, including armour piercing munition or any munition containing depleted uranium, at the site. No direct training of military personnel has been conducted at the site, although land belonging to the site has been traversed (with permission of the owners) during the course of low level military exercises for at least 10 years.

Secondary information