HC Deb 24 November 1992 vol 214 cc646-7W
20. Mr. Jenkin

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the latest information available to him about the position of United Kingdom troops in the former Yugoslavia.

Mr. Rifkind

Regular reports are now placed in the Library of the House each Thursday.

29. Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the further participation of British troops in former Yugoslavia.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

There are no plans for any additional use of British troops over and above those escorting humanitarian aid convoys, including convoys of detainees.

30. Mr. Barry Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the level of air cover generally and operational aerial intelligence and surveillance available to the United Kingdom commander and his convoys in the former Yugoslavia.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

Air support is not part of the concept of the deployment and would fundamentally alter the nature of the operation, risking escalation. NATO airborne early warning aircraft are conducting air surveillance of the Adriatic and Bosnia-Herzegovina, but this is to detect violations of UN sanctions and the no-fly zone, not to provide cover for ground forces.

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