HL Deb 11 May 2004 vol 661 cc24-5WA
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 14 January (WA 87–8), what monitoring of water is taking place within Iraq to determine whether ground water or watercourses are contaminated with depleted uranium; and [HL2572]

Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 14 January (WA 87–8), whether the United Nations Environment Programme has begun the full environment field survey which was planned for 2004 and which will include depleted uranium; and how much they have budgeted to part fund the survey. [HL2573]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach)

In light of the local security situation, the United Nations Environment programme (UNEP) has not yet been able to commence its environmental field survey of Iraq. Therefore UNEP's planned monitoring of depleted uranium (DU) in the environment, including water, has not yet started. The Department for International Development has agreed to contribute £717,146 to part-fund the environmental field survey.