HC Deb 08 February 1991 vol 185 c266W
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many New Zealand armed forces personnel have been seconded or temporarily transferred to work with the British Army in the middle east.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

A total of 76 personnel from the New Zealand armed forces are currently serving with British forces in the Gulf.

Mr. Loyden

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest estimated replacement procurement cost for the equipment used or destroyed in the Gulf war.

Mr. Alan Clark

To date the value of equipment lost and ammunition consumed since hostilities began is approaching £200 million. No decisions have yet been taken on the replacement of lost equipment.

Mr. Loyden

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the extent to which the precision-guidance equipment fitted to RAF aircraft in the Gulf is capable of minimising deaths of civilians and others in locations close to the target.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

Allied pilots have instructions to attack only military targets which could pose a threat to allied forces or facilities which are supporting Iraq's occupation of Kuwait. The precision which can be achieved with laser-guided weapons means that aircrews can be confident that those targets can be hit with a high degree of accuracy.

Mr. Cartwright

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the minimum age below which British service men and women are not permitted to serve with the forces in the Gulf conflict.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

The minimum ages for service in the Gulf with the British armed forces are as follows:

Men Women
Royal Marines 17 years —
Army 17 years 3 months 18 years
Royal Air Force 17 years 6 months 18 years

There is no minimum age for service in the Gulf in the Royal Navy. The minimum age for entry to the Royal Navy is 16 years for men and 17 years for women. In practice, men serving in the Gulf are normally at least 17 years of age and neither men nor women would be sent to the Gulf until they had received the appropriate training for their trade.