Business of the House

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 3:31 pm on 20 June 1991.

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Photo of Mr John Browne Mr John Browne , Winchester 3:31, 20 June 1991

May I draw the attention of my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House to early-day motion 967?

[That an Humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, That she will be graciously pleased to give directions that there be laid before this House a Return of all papers held by the Secretary of State for Defence relating to the Board of Inquiry instituted to investigate the circumstances of the explosion at the Suffield Range, Canada, on 7th July 1989, which grieviously injured three young Grenadier Guardsmen, Austin Hicks, John Ray and Sean Povey.]

I draw the attention of my right hon. Friend also to early day motion 776, to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, reported at column 134 of Hansard on 3 June, and to that made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister this afternoon. Both statements referred to the accident as tragic, but as one for which no one could be blamed. Is my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House aware that not only was the board of inquiry not asked to investigate, but it called no evidence whatever in investigating why the shell had lain in a non-impact area of a live firing range for six years? That was a serious error, and such statements just do not wash. May the House please have an early debate on early-day motion 967 so that we can be told the truth?