§ Lord Vivianasked Her Majesty's Government:
Given that the leaked Iraqi intelligence reports suggest possible underwater attacks on allied vessels, whether any further anti-submarine frigates or minesweepers are to be deployed to the region. [HL1447]
§ Lord BachI refer the noble Lord to the statements made by my right honourable friend the Defence Secretary on 18 December 2002 (Official Report, cols. 845–6) and on 7 January 2003 (Official Report, cols. 24–5) in another place in which he announced the composition of a fully balanced and flexible maritime package to the Gulf region. In addition to these assets, there are at present four mine-hunters on longstanding deployment to the Gulf region, as well as a Type 42 destroyer and a Type 22 frigate on permanent taskings.
The threat to the United Kingdom assets is kept under review, as are our contingency plans for dealing with such threats.