HC Deb 16 June 1997 vol 296 cc84-5W
Dr. Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what exceptional military circumstances the use of land mines will be permitted; and what steps he intends to take to limit and monitor this exceptional use. [3404]

Dr. Reid

We have introduced a complete moratorium on the use of anti-personnel land mines. That moratorium would be suspended only if Ministers judged that, for a specific operation, the security of our Armed Forces would be jeopardised without the possibility of the use of anti-personnel land mines. It is impossible to predict what such exceptional circumstances might be, but Ministers would wish to be satisfied that it was not feasible to provide adequate protection for our Armed Forces using other means. We have made clear that we would report any such decision to Parliament at the earliest possible opportunity.

Any use of anti-personnel land mines by UK Armed Forces would be strictly in accordance with international humanitarian law.

Mr. Bruce George

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the HB876 area-denial submunition complies with internationally agreed requirements for the reliability of anti-personnel land mines. [4232]

Dr. Reid

The HB876 area-denial submunition is an integral component of the JP233 Airfield Attack Weapon, and is therefore quite different from the types of land mine which have raised justifiable humanitarian concerns. HB876 nevertheless is an anti-personnel land mine under the meaning of the amended Protocol II to the United Nations Weaponry Convention. We will therefore withdraw JP233 from service no later than 2005, in accordance with the policy announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 22 May,Official Report, column 708. Until withdrawal, we have introduced a complete moratorium on the operational use of JP233, which would be suspended only if we judge that for a specific operation the security of our Armed Forces would be jeopardised without the possibility of its use. Any such exceptional decision, and the circumstances which led to it, would be reported to Parliament.

Under the terms of the amended Protocol II to the UN Weaponry Convention, all remotely-delivery anti-personnel land mines must comply with certain criteria on the reliability of their self-destruct and deactivation capabilities. In conjunction with the manufacturer, Hunting Engineering Limited (HEL), my Department has carried out a detailed assessment of HB876 and we are satisfied that it complies with these criteria. Copies of unclassified versions of the HEL report into HB876, and a further report by the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency validating HEL's tests, have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.