§ Mr. BlizzardTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total cost to date is of maintaining the British force in support of the no-fly zone in Iraq. [79986]
§ Mr. IngramOur records do not separately identify expenditure incurred in maintaining the no fly zones. However, the table below sets out the overall additional expenditure incurred by the Ministry of Defence as a direct result of operations in the Gulf from 1992–1993 onwards.
Year £ Million 1992–93 551 1993–94 179 1994–95 58 1995–96 14 1996–97 6 1997–98 16 1998–99 35 1999–2000 28 2000–01 25 2001–02 (estimate) 221 2002–03 (estimate) 261 Note: 1 denotes figure calculated on a resource basis; all previous figures are cash-based. I will write to my hon. Friend concerning expenditure in 2001–2002 and 2002–2003 and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
§ Jeremy CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations have been received from the government of Cyprus or members of the Cypriot public concerning the use of United Kingdom sovereign bases in Cyprus in preparation for a future conflict with Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [79650]
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§ Mr. HoonNo decision regarding the commitment of United Kingdom Armed Forces to any potential conflict in Iraq has yet been taken. Military action is neither imminent nor inevitable.
§ Jeremy CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF sorties over Iraq there have been(a) north of 30th parallel and (b) south of 30th parallel not covered by the no-fly zone in the last year and what the total volume of explosives dropped in each area was. [79649]
§ Mr. HoonThe northern no-fly zone covers the area of Iraq lying north of the 36th parallel. The southern no-fly zone covers the area lying south of the 33rd.
The RAF takes part in Coalition patrols within the no-fly zones. There have been no sorties by the RAF in the free-fly area between the two zones in the last year.