§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cluster bombs were used by United Kingdom forces during the Kosovo campaign; and what is his estimate of the number of(a) sub-munitions within the cluster bombs that did not detonate on impact and (b) locations where there are undetonated sub-munitions. [104863]
§ Mr. HoonDuring Operation Allied Force, some 500 RBL 755 Cluster Bombs were dropped by the RAF against specific, identified, military targets.
The bomblets (sub-munitions) within cluster bombs are designed to detonate on impact, but as with any other similar munitions, a small percentage may fail to do so. 492W The manufacturer's estimated failure rate for the RBL 755 cluster bombs used by the UK during the Kosovo campaign is approximately 5 per cent.
KFOR has now cleared over 7,400 cluster bomb munitions throughout Kosovo, in addition to some 6,100 Serbian anti-personnel mines and 3,400 anti-tank mines. All unexploded ordnance sites in the UK sector of Kosovo have now been marked and 90 per cent. of unexploded cluster bomb munitions cleared.