§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if bombs coated with depleted uranium were used in the most recent bombing of Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [157415]
§ Mr. HoonBombs coated with depleted uranium were not used on the most recent occasion that coalition aircraft patrolling the southern no fly zone responded in self-defence against the Iraqi Air Defence System.
§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the reasons for the most recent bombing of Iraq by the UK and USA. [157414]
§ Mr. HoonCoalition aircraft carrying out legitimate patrols of the Iraqi no fly zones are authorised to respond in self-defence to Iraqi efforts to shoot them down. This is the only basis on which weapons have been released over Iraq since Operation Desert Fox in December 1998.