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Galloway Training Area

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many man-days of training have been conducted in the Galloway training area in each of the last five years.[16873]

Mr. Soames: The information requested is as follows:

Year	Number of man training days
1992-93	11,709
1993-94	10,461
1994-95	19,302
1995-96	23,027
1996-97	(31)47,846

(31) Figures available for period April to December 1996 only; these have been calculated on a different basis from those given for the preceding years and now include training undertaken by the reserve forces, cadets and the other two services.

Nuclear Forces

Mr. Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the defence budget was spent on maintaining and operating British nuclear forces in financial years 1994-95 and 1995-96. [16884]

Mr. Soames: Running costs for Trident and Polaris ballistic missile submarines constituted around 1 per cent. of the defence budget in each of financial years 1994-95 and 1995-96.

Danger Areas

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what activities are authorised in danger area D402C; and on what date the area was established. [16819]

Mr. Soames: The only activity authorised in danger area D402C is occasional bomb disposal. The danger area was brought into activity in January 1996.

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many days in (a) 1995 and (b) 1996 the danger area designated EGD512A was active; if he will list the weapons which are authorised for use within EGD512A; and what is the expected change in the nature and frequency of use of EGD512A following the development of firing facilities at Otterburn. [16829]

Mr. Soames: Danger area EGD512A was in use for two days in 1995-96 and has been active for four days to date in 1996-97. All artillery gun systems are unauthorised to use the danger area. No significant change in use is anticipated.

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions over the last two years (a) danger area D402A and (b) danger area D402B have been activated above 3,000 ft; to what height they were activated in each case; and what procedures are in place for the safe transit of aircraft on airway B2 when such activations take place. [16820]

Mr. Soames: Over the last two years, Danger Areas D402A and B have been activated above the normal maximum height of 3,000 ft for weapons firing trials work. Notice to Airmen--NOTAM--warnings of range activity occurred on 10 occasions covering a total period of 28 days, although four of these NOTAMs, covering a

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total of six days, were cancelled due to weather. Activation dates, times and maximum heights were as follows:

Date	Time	Maximum Height
Danger Areas D402A and B--NOTAM Details 1 July 1995	0900-1700 hours	Up to 23,000 feet	NOTAM cancelled
3 to 17 July 1995	0900-1900 hours	Up to 13,000 feet
22 July 1995	0900-1600 hours	Up to 20,000 feet
19 to 20 August 1995	0900-1600 hours	Up to 5,000 feet	NOTAM cancelled
2 to 3 September 1995	0930-1800 hours	Up to 23,000 feet	NOTAM cancelled
8 May 1996	1000-1400 hours	Up to 7,000 feet
1 to 2 February 1997	1100-1500 hours	Up to 5,000 feet
Danger Areas D402A only--Activation Details
2 November 1996	1000-1600 hours	Up to 17,000 feet
16 November 1996	0900-1400 hours	Up to 17,000 feet	NOTAM cancelled
18 to 19 January 1997	1200-1600 hours	Up to 5,000 feet

When danger areas are active, Airway Blue 2 is closed by NOTAM action, although, when safe to do so, the danger area controlling authority, West Freugh approach radar, may, when requested, approve aircraft to use this airway.

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the weapon types which have been authorised for discharge in (a) danger area D411 and (b) danger area D509 in the last 10 years; what records his Department collates of the number and type of weapons fired; and if he will make a statement on efforts made to recover unexploded ordnance from the seabed in these areas. [16826]

Mr. Soames: Danger area D411, in the Portpatrick area, is used for trials of Sonobuoy equipment. No weapons have been authorised for discharge in this area over the last 10 years.

Danger area D509, in the Campbletown area, is used for anti-air and surface weapon training. My Department does not hold records detailing the specific weapons authorised for discharge in danger area D509 over the last 10 years, nor are records collated indicating the number and types of weapons fired. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the following weapon types are known to have been used routinely within this area:
7.62mm General Purpose Machine Gun and a variety of small arms
20mm ADEN air to surface cannon
20 & 30mm Oerlikon guns
40mm Bofors 40/60 guns

In addition, the following weapon types have been used on an occasional basis within danger area D509:
20mm DCN guns
20mm Giat cannon
40mm Oerlikon 40/70 guns.

As a matter of routine during training and exercises, inert projectiles would be fired by the weapons detailed above: residue deposited on the sea-bed would not, therefore, be explosive.

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In accordance with our usual practice, my Department has made no effort to recover unexploded ordnance from the sea-bed in danger areas D411 and D509. As a general principle, scientific advice indicates that unexploded ordnance on the seabed presents no significant risk to safety, human health or the marine environment, if left undisturbed.

Kirkcudbright Range

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the training area category of Kirkcudbright range when it is transferred to the Army; and what plans he has to develop Kirkcudbright as an army field training centre. [16831]

Mr. Soames: The Kirkcudbright training area will be a district training asset administered by Army headquarters, Scotland. There are no plans at present to develop Kirkcudbright as an Army field training centre.

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for provision of facilities for non-infantry units at the Kirkcudbright range; if he will list the types of non-infantry training to be authorised there; and on what date such training is scheduled to start. [16876]

Mr. Soames: Apart from continued use of the existing demolition area by the Royal Engineers no specific facilities will be provided for use by non-infantry units. The area will also be used by the Royal Artillery for the firing of the multiple launch rocket system. No other non-infantry training has been authorised.

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the provision of infantry training facilities at the Kirkcudbright range; if he will list the type of infantry training to be authorised there; what will be the maximum number of infantry personnel using the area at any one time; and on what date infantry training is scheduled to start. [16877]

Mr. Soames: Infantry dry tactical training has been conducted at Kirkcudbright since September 1995. We now plan to develop the infantry ranges to accommodate the live firing of small arms and support weapons as well. The maximum number of infantry personnel using the range at any one time will be approximately 500.

Live Fire Training

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the current arrangements for live firing training for missile-equipped helicopters in the Army Air Corps; and what assessment he has made of the advantages of combining Army Air Corps live fire training with RAF armament practice camp facilities. [16835]

Mr. Soames: Live firing training for missile equipped Army Air Corps helicopters is undertaken on Salisbury Plain training area and at Otterburn. Consideration has been given to conducting Army Air Corps live firing at RAF armament practice camps, but the conclusion reached was that this would be neither practical nor cost effective.

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Military Aircraft (Flying Hours)

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the total number of hours flown by each aircraft type in military service in each year since 1990; and what are the funded hours for each type in 1997. [16803]

Mr. Soames: I have placed a table detailing the available information in the Library of the House.

Inflatable Targets

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many inflatable targets were deployed to Goose bay, Canada, during the 1996 training season; to how many locations the targets were deployed; what was the total cost of (a) deploying (b) operating and (c) supporting the targets; what contribution to repayment of those costs will be made by (i) the Canadian authorities and (ii) other allied air forces training at Goose bay; and what conclusions have been reached concerning the future deployment of inflatable targets at Goose bay. [16808]

Mr. Soames: Six inflatable targets were deployed to Goose bay, Canada, during the 1996 training season. It is not possible to provide the cost information requested as the deployment was not undertaken as a stand alone activity and costs were, therefore, not recorded separately. As this was a national deployment, no financial contribution was sought from the Canadian authorities or other allied air forces at Goose bay. Consideration is currently being given to locating inflatable targets at Goose bay on a permanent basis to meet UK training requirements.

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the (a) statutory and (b) service regulatory provisions for (i) consultations with, and (ii) notification of, owners of adjoining land when inflatable targets for simulated air-to-ground attack are deployed on private land. [16809]

Mr. Soames: The Department maintains standing instructions on the deployment of forces and equipment, including inflatable targets, on private land. These instructions are complied with at all times, and deployments are only undertaken with the prior authorisation of the land owner. Adjoining land owners are not formally notified but the local police are consulted.

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the locations, dates of deployment and nature of the training for each deployment on private land of inflatable targets in the last five years; and if his Department holds training licence agreements with each of the locations. [16810]

Mr. Soames: Details of such deployments are not recorded centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, deployments on private land are undertaken only with the agreement of the appropriate land owner.

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