PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Seabed: Bomb Disposal (6 March 2020)

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department has taken in response to the recommendations of the SRUC Wildlife Unit's report of the Investigation into long-finned pilot whale mass stranding event, Kyle of Durness, 22 July 2011, published in 2015, on unexploded ordnance disposal; and if he will make a statement.

Asked by:
Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat)

Defra recognises the significant impact underwater noise from ordnance clearance and other activities can have on vulnerable marine species. We are working closely with the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), other Government departments including the Ministry of Defence, statutory nature conservation bodies and marine industries to manage and reduce underwater noise.

The underwater noise impact of using low order deflagration techniques for unexploded ordnance detonations is currently being researched by Hartley Anderson on behalf of the Defra Group. The MMO is an active member of the Steering Group which is helping to progress this research. Closed water trials took place in 2019 and sea trials of the technology are planned for 2020. Defra does not expect to issue formal guidance on the use of low-order deflagration techniques until this research has been completed.

Answered by:
Rebecca Pow (Conservative)
13 March 2020