§ Mr. LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many serving members of Her Majesty's armed forces qualified in landmine clearance are currently involved in mine clearance operations; where they are serving; and to whom they are on secondment. [74207]
§ Mr. George Robertson[holding answer 2 March 1999]: In total 59 personnel are involved in, or training for, mine clearance operations, as follows:
Geneva Centre for International Humanitarian Demining—One Officer as technical adviser;Bosnia Mine Action Centre (Mostar)—One Officer as technical adviser;UN Development Programme (New York)—One Officer on Training Study Team;UK Mine Information and Training Centre, Minley—Three personnel;Falklands Islands Explosive Ordnance Destruction detachment—Six personnel;Bosnia Stabilisation Force—46 personnel involved in co-ordination of mine clearance, emergency disposal of mines and unexploded ordnance, and mine awareness training;Kosovo—One officer in Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe Mine Action Cell.
§ Mr. LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to extend the use of serving members of Her Majesty's armed forces in landmine clearance work overseas. [74208]
§ Mr. George Robertson[holding answer 2 March 1999]: As part of the programme to increase the Ministry of Defence's contribution to humanitarian de-mining, which I announced on 27 October 1997, Official Report, columns 609–20, we have offered up to five additional military personnel to the United Nations in support of de-mining projects overseas.