HC Deb 18 June 2003 vol 407 cc251-2W
Mr. Gardiner

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department is working with NGOs in Iraq to educate the public about the dangers of unexploded ordnance. [117037]

Mr. Ingram

Providing a safe, secure and risk free environment for the Iraqi people is a key aspect of restoration activity for the Coalition. The United Kingdom itself has made a significant effort to educate the local population in its area of operations about the dangers of mines and unexploded ordnance. A Theatre Mine Risk Education Programme has been developed with the support of UNICEF and the ICRC. A poster and leaflet campaign has been carried out, head teachers in Basrah have been briefed and military teams are delivering mine and unexploded ordnance awareness training to Primary and Secondary schools on a daily basis using material approved by the ICRC. In addition to this local radio stations are informing the local population about unexploded ordnance and encouraging them not to tamper with anything that has either been marked as or may look like unexploded ordnance.