Neptune Warrior Military Exercises

That the Parliament notes that Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and the armed forces of several UK allies are taking part in the major war-games exercise, Neptune Warrior 061, around the coast of Scotland from 25 February to 11 March 2006; further notes that the current exercise is one of a new series called Neptune Warrior of which there are expected to be up to three every year; recognises that the Ministry of Defence has issued notice that there will be naval guns firing at the land next to Cape Wrath as well as aircraft bombing; notes with concern that this firing is within the recently designated UNESCO North West Highlands Geopark, a status awarded because of the area's special diverse geology and landscapes and one of only 32 geoparks world-wide; believes that US shelling exercises were moved from Puerto Rico to Scotland because of local opposition following the use of depleted uranium shells at the Vieques range in Puerto Rico; is concerned at the further intention to test the new Sonar-2087 submarine detection system, acknowledged by the UK Government to be harmful to dolphins and whales; is also concerned by reports that hundreds of whales, dolphins and porpoises worldwide have beached themselves and died in incidents where it was likely they had been disorientated by naval sonar, and calls on the Scottish Executive to make urgent representations to the UK Government to have the shelling of the Scottish coastline and the testing of Sonar-2087 halted because of impact on Scottish landscape, wildlife and local economies.