UNEXPLODED SECOND WORLD WAR ORDNANCE RAISES CONCERNS OVER MUNITIONS DUMP

South Scotland MSP Emma Harper has raised a motion in the Scottish Parliament to commend the Dumfries and Galloway Division of Police Scotland, the Royal Navy and HM Coastguard over their swift response to dealing with unexploded World War II ordnance which was picked up by a local scallop dredger and brought into Portpatrick Harbour.

In the motion, while absolutely thanking the emergency service response which led to a safe and successful controlled explosion of the device, Ms Harper has used the opportunity to again highlight what she has described as the very real dangers posed by the munitions dumping ground – Beaufort’s Dyke – situated in the Irish Sea between Scotland ad Northern Ireland.

In the motion submitted to the Parliament, the South Scotland MSP quoted official statistics from the Ministry of Defence which show that in excess of one million tonnes of surplus conventional and chemical weapons have been duped in the 300-meter deep, 3.5 kilometre wide, 50 kilometre long dumping ground.

The motion calls on the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Scotland – who have stated publicly their intention to build either a bridge or tunnel between Scotland and Northern Ireland – to publish plans on how they would deal with the dangers presented by this toxic and explosive trench which is also currently an active route for Trident Nuclear Submarines.

Commenting, Ms Harper said:

“Firstly, I want to wholeheartedly thank the Dumfries and Galloway Division of Police Scotland, the Royal Navy and HM Coastguard for dealing with the unexploded world war II ordnance which was picked up by a local scallop dredger and brought into Portpatrick Harbour. The action led to a safe and controlled explosion of the device, which ensured the safety of the dredger’s crew and of people locally.

“However, given the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Scotland’s recent comments of their intention to build a bridge or tunnel connecting Scotland with Northern Ireland, it is important to point out that in the Irish Sea we have a 300 meter deep, 3.5 kilometre wide, 50 kilometre long trench – Beaufort’s Dyke – which, according to the Ministry of Defence, contains over 1 million tonnes of surplus conventional and chemical weapons. The site is also an active route of passage for trident nuclear submarines.

“I therefore think that it is only sensible for the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Scotland to publish plans on, should a bridge or tunnel be built, how they would deal with this underwater toxic and explosive dumping site and I look forward to their response on the matter.

“Again, I thank Police Scotland, the Royal Navy and HM Coastguard for dealing with the unexploded device in Portpatrick and would encourage anyone looking for any further information to contact me at any time.”

MSP motions can be found on www.parliament.scot <www.parliament.scot/>
Motion Number: S5M-21663
Lodged By: Emma Harper
Date Lodged: 05/05/2020

Title: Commending the Emergency Services’ Response to Beaufort’s Dyke Unexploded Device

Motion Text:
That the Parliament commends the joint efforts of Dumfries and Galloway Police Division, the Royal Navy and HM Coastguard following an incident in Portpatrick where a local scallop dredger picked up unexploded Second World War ordnance; understands that, following the explosive device coming into Portpatrick Harbour, the armed forces bomb disposal unit was contacted and safely carried out a controlled explosion of the device; notes that Beaufort’s Dyke, which is a 300 metre-deep, 3.5 kilometre-wide, 50 kilometre-long Second World War munitions and radioactive dump site, is situated in the Irish Sea between south west Scotland and Ireland, and that the Ministry of Defence estimates that over one million tonnes of surplus conventional and chemical weapons are contained within the trench; expresses concern regarding what it believes are the potential plans of the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Scotland to build a bridge or tunnel connecting Scotland to Northern Ireland, particularly because of what it considers the very real danger presented by the Beaufort’s Dyke dump site; calls on the UK Government to publish plans on how it would deal with the dangers presented by the retained remaining ordnance and on whether or not the area would remain an active route for Royal Navy nuclear submarines if a bridge or tunnel were to be built; thanks Police Scotland, the Royal Navy and HM Coastguard for their swift action in dealing with the explosive device in Portpatrick, and wishes all well for the future.