HC Deb 01 December 1993 vol 233 cc608-9W
Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the flak jackets issued to United Kingdom forces serving in the former Yugoslavia in protecting against sniper fire;

(2) what plans he has to issue United Kingdom forces serving in the former Yugoslavia with bullet-proof vests;

(3) what factors have been taken into account in deciding not to issue United Kingdom forces in the former Yugoslavia with bullet-proof vests.

Mr. Hanley

All United Kingdom personnel serving on the ground in Bosnia are equipped with lightweight combat body armour (CBA), which provides protection against shrapnel and would normally be worn in battle. Contoured ceramic chest plates are also available for use in theatre. These can be fitted to the CBA to cover the heart area, back and front, and will stop high velocity bullets. They are designed to provide maximum protection with minimum degradation of the wearer's effectiveness. The decision to issue and to wear the plates is a matter for the judgment of the local commanders, who have not identified any requirement for protection over and above that which is available in theatre.

Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what would be the cost of issuing bullet-proof vests to United Kingdom forces serving in the former Yugoslavia.

Dr. David Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for defence what is the cost of an individual set of body armour used by British service personnel in the former Yugoslavia.

Mr. Hanley

The cost of the combat body armour, including ceramic plates, issued to United Kingdom forces serving in the former Yugoslavia is £156 per set, including VAT.

Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the operational locations where United Kingdom forces have been issued with bullet-proof vests.

Mr. Hanley

Body armour is issued as a matter of course for any form of operational duty where the risk warrants it wherever that might be. Records of issue, however, are not kept.

Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many national contingents serving with UNPROFOR in the former Yugoslavia have issued their forces with bullet-proof vests.

Mr. Hanley

All contingents in UNPROFOR serving in Bosnia issue some form of body protection, either individually or on a pool basis for certain duties.

Dr. David Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the relevant merits of the body armour worn by(a) British service personnel and (b) Dutch service personnel deployed in the former Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Hanley

All body armour issued to British troops has been researched, developed and trialled extensively against specific military requirements. This applies to the combat body armour (CBA) issued to personnel in the former Yugoslavia, which specifically protects the wearer from fragments produced by exploding munitions, which is considered to be the main threat, and, with the ceramic plates inserted, also protects against high velocity bullets. Dutch personnel are currently using a heavyweight British commercial body armour providing a high degree of protection against high velocity bullets, which is double the wieght of the CBA issued to British troops and considerably reduces mobility.