HC Deb 01 July 1999 vol 334 c247W
Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total stock of depleted uranium weaponry held by the UK. [88889]

Mr. George Robertson

I am withholding the detailed information under exemption la of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information relating to defence, security and international relations. Depleted uranium-based ammunition is used because it offers better performance than other alternatives and, therefore, gives our Armed Forces greater operational capability.

Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many depleted uranium weapons are held by British forces based in Albania, Macedonia and Kosovo. [88963]

Mr. George Robertson

I am withholding this information under exemption 1 of the Code of Practice to Government Information relating to defence, security and international relations.

Mr. Cotter

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate how much depleted uranium was dropped on(a) Kosovo and (b) Serbia in the course of recent NATO action. [89067]

Mr. George Robertson

The UK did not use depleted uranium (DU) ammunition during the air campaign over Kosovo and Serbia. The United States is the only member of the Alliance to have said that it used DU ammunition. I am not in a position to estimate the amount used.