HC Deb 23 October 2003 vol 411 cc664-5W
Mr. Keetch

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the amount and type of ordnance dropped on Iraq during Operation Telic; and what the overall cost was of the munitions used during the conflict. [111812]

Mr. Ingram

During Operation Telic RAF aircraft released some 840 weapons over Iraq: The types were:

  • Stormshadow stand-off missile
  • ALARM anti-radiation missile
  • Paveway II laser-guided-bomb
  • Enhanced Paveway II laser-guided bomb
  • Enhanced Paveway III laser-guided bomb
  • AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile
  • RBL755 cluster bomb
  • 1,000 lb inert bomb
  • 500 lb inert bomb
  • CRV-7 Rocket Pod
  • AIM-9L Sidewinder air-to-air missile

Calculating the costs of munitions consumed during the Coalition's military action will take some time since they will include the cost of ammunition, bombs and guided weapons consumed in excess of peacetime levels and the cost of repairing and replacing ordnance destroyed or damaged. Once this work is complete I will write to the hon. Member.

Gareth Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the use of cluster bombs during the Iraq conflict. [132440]

Mr. Ingram

We made every effort to minimise the impact on the Iraqi population of the coalition's military action. Cluster bombs are lawful weapons and were used by United Kingdom forces in a manner consistent with our obligations under international law, against fielded Iraqi military forces in the open or on the periphery of built up areas.

Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what methods have been used to date to estimate the number of Iraqi civilians killed by United Kingdom or United States military forces in Iraq(a) since 20 March and (b) since the end of the conflict; and what steps are being taken to increase the reliability of these assessments. [133307]

Mr. Ingram

I refer my hon. Friend to the answers given to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 16 June 2003,Official Report, column 55W, and to the hon. Member for Carmarthen East & Dinefwr (Mr. Price) on 14 October 2003, Official Report, column 7W, respectively.