§ Sir Eldon GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the adequacy of supply of sunglasses to troops serving in Operation Desert Storm.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonTo date some 49,000 pairs of sunglasses have been dispatched to the Gulf. This is an adequate supply to provide one pair of sunglasses to each of the troops serving there.
§ Mr. SillarsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether a soldier aged 17 years and three months and eligible to serve with the British Army in the Gulf can be required to take part in military action.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonYes.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people in the reserve forces have refused to serve in the Gulf; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Archie Hamilton[holding answer 14 February 1991]: Of those reservists issued with compulsory call-out notices 33 made successful appeals for exemption on the basis of difficult personal circumstances or conscientious objection. A small number of reservists have failed to report for duty without apparent good reason. A decision on what action should be taken in respect of these non-reporters has yet to be made.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many(a) British service personnel and (b) service personnel from each of the coalition forces have been killed or injured in the Gulf since 17 January to date; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what are his estimates of dead and injured Iraqi military in Iraq and Kuwait since 17 January to date; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonHer Majesty's Government are not in a position to provide overall estimates of the number of allied or Iraqi military personnel killed or injured so far during hostilities. The United Kingdom has no personnel confirmed as killed or injured as a direct result of hostilities.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the major producers of small arms ammunition which have been given contracts to replace the munitions being used by British forces in the Gulf.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe question of replacing small arms ammunition used in the Gulf has not yet arisen.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people in the reserve forces, who volunteered to serve in the Gulf, were refused; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Archie Hamilton[holding answer 14 February]: No Royal Navy or Royal Air Force reservists who volunteered for service in the Gulf were rejected. Of the 1,124 Army reservists who volunteered, 206 were rejected for various reasons.
248WCall-out procedures have proved satisfactory and the requirement has been met largely on a voluntary basis.