§ Ms McCaffertyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the United Kingdom's strategic stock of(a) ordnance and (b) fuel was used during NATO operations in Kosovo; what assessment he has made of the impact on the United Kingdom's defence capability; and what estimate he has made of (i) the length of time required and (ii) the cost to replace the stock used. [87196]
§ Mr. George RobertsonI am withholding information on the percentage of the United Kingdom's ordnance stock used during the NATO operation in Kosovo, and the length of time taken to replace ordnance stocks, under exemption la of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (information where disclosure would harm national security on defence). The UK does not hold a strategic stock of fuel. Stocks of fuel are continually replenished in order to maintain them at appropriate levels.
We have not yet conducted a full analysis of the impact of operations in Kosovo. While timely and measured steps are being taken to replace ordnance, it is too early to make a meaningful estimate of the cost involved.