Bosnia (Hansard, 24 October 1995)

§ 24. Mr. Macdonald
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the situation in Bosnia. [36584]

§ 28. Mr. Sutcliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on Bosnia. [36588]

§ Mr. Soames
I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer given to the hon. Member for Neath (Mr. Hain) earlier today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

§ Mr. Harry Greenway
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British troops are currently serving in Bosnia; and if he will make a statement. [36847]

§ Mr. Soames
Following the relocation of 24 Airmobile Brigade to the UK as part of the reconfiguration of United Nations forces requested by the UN Secretary General, almost 5,000 UK ground troops will remain in the former Yugoslavia. In addition, there are some 3,000 Royal Navy and Royal Air Force personnel deployed in the Adriatic theatre in support of UN and NATO operations.

§ Mr. Home Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many humanitarian aid convoys to Sarajevo were escorted over Mount Igman by United Nations forces during August and September 1995; and approximately what tonnage of relief supplies was delivered by that route. [38328]

§ Mr. Soames
No United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees humanitarian aid convoys were escorted over Mount Igman by UNPROFOR during August and September. Aid convoys from non-governmental organisations were escorted over this route during the same period, but the UN has been unable to provide statistics on the numbers or tonnage involved.

§ Mr. Home Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average minimum temperature at the British Army positions on Mount Igman during the last two weeks of September; and when the soldiers serving at these positions were issued with cold weather clothing. [38045]

§ Mr. Soames
The average minimum temperature at the British positions on Mount Igman during the last two weeks of September was minus 1 deg C. Winter clothing was issued in the first half of September to personnel in exposed positions such as observation posts; the balance was issued over the period 23 to 27 September.