§ Mr. Menzies CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions(a) coalition aircraft and (b) UK aircraft patrolling the southern no fly-zone in Iraq have released ordnance in response to violations from 12 January to date, stating in percentage terms (i) the nature of the threat, (ii) the category of the target attacked and the tonnage of ordnance released on each category of target in proportion to the overall tonnage released; and if he will make a statement. [151804]
§ Mr. HoonBetween 12 January 2001 and 28 February 2001, coalition aircrew conducting legitimate humanitarian patrols in the southern no-fly zone were directly threatened by Iraqi air defence forces on 39 occasions and responded in self-defence on six occasions against Iraqi military facilities posing a direct threat to coalition forces. UK aircraft released ordnance on four occasions. Details of the threats to coalition aircraft, targets and UK ordnance, in percentage and weight terms as appropriate, are as follows
(i) Nature of threat:Anti-Aircraft Artillery/Surface to Air Missile firings—100 per cent.(ii) Category of Target Attacked:Integrated Air Defence System—100 per cent.(iii) UK Weapons Released Against Integrated Ground Based Air Defence System(A) By tonnage—6.6 tonnes(B) By per cent.—100 per cent.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what legal powers recent international military intervention took place in Iraqi no-fly zones. [152460]
§ Mr. HoonI refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made in the House on 26 February 2001,Official Report, columns 620–34, about coalition operations to enforce the no-fly zones over Iraq.