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Browndown Range

Volume 928: debated on Monday 21 March 1977

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asked the Secretary of State for Defence what use is to be made during 1977 of the firing ranges at Brown-down, Gosport.

Live firing will be discontinued from 1st April 1977, but the ranges will continue to be used for other types of field training.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what changes have recently been implemented in the use of the firing ranges at Browndown, Gosport.

There have been no recent changes in the use of the firing ranges at Browndown.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of the increased safety precautions which are proposed to be taken at the firing ranges at Browndown, Gosport.

Live firing at Browndown is to be discontinued for an experimental period of one year as from 1st April 1977. In view of this, no expenditure on increased safety precautions is planned.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what alternative arrangements have been made following the decision not to use the firing ranges at Browndown during the last nine months of 1977.

Firing at Browndown will be transferred to the Royal Navy range at Tipner and to the Army ranges at Chilcombe near Winchester, and Longmoor.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied that personnel of Her Majesty's Armed Forces will be able to receive satisfactory small arms training and practice in view of the decision not to use firing ranges at Browndown in Gosport during the last nine months of 1977.

Yes. However, Browndown range is being maintained on a care and maintenance basis, and the situation will be reviewed in a year's time in the light of experience.