Iraq (Hansard, 23 January 2003)

§ Mr. Hoyle
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the security of supply for armed forces equipment and munitions should forces be committed to military action in Iraq. [92035]

§ Mr. Ingram
Security of supply is one of the many factors taken into account in the procurement of equipment and munitions. We maintain a close dialogue with our key contractors and international partners to ensure the early identification of any difficulties that may arise so that we can address them accordingly.
448W

§ Harry Cohen
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of munitions released over Iraq were precision guided in each of the last five years. [92534]

§ Mr. Ingram
All of them. RAF aircraft have employed only precision guided munitions when forced to defend themselves while monitoring the No Fly Zones.

§ Harry Cohen
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 9 January 2002,Official Report, column 293W, on Iraq, when figures for ordnance released over Iraq for the whole of 2002 will be published. [92517]

§ Mr. Ingram
Between 5 and 31 December 2002 RAF aircraft released 11.8 tonnes of ordnance while responding in self defence to attacks from Iraqi air defences. The total released in 2002 was 67.6 tonnes.

§ Norman Baker
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent by the UK in enforcing the no-fly zone over Iraq in each year since its introduction. [91530]

§ Mr. Ingram
Our records do not separately identify expenditure incurred in maintaining the no fly zones. However, the following table sets out the overall additional expenditure incurred by the Ministry of Defence as a direct result of operations in the Gulf from 1992–93 onwards.

Year £million

1992–93 551

1993–94 179

1994–95 58

1995–96 14

1996–97 6

1997–98 16

1998–99 35

1999–2000 28

2000–01 25

2001–02 (estimate) ¹22

2002–03 (estimate) ¹26

¹Denotes figure calculated on a resource basis; all previous figures are cash-based

I will write to the hon. Member concerning expenditure in 2001–02 and 2002–03.

Year	£million
1992–93	551
1993–94	179
1994–95	58
1995–96	14
1996–97	6
1997–98	16
1998–99	35
1999–2000	28
2000–01	25
2001–02 (estimate)	¹22
2002–03 (estimate)	¹26
¹Denotes figure calculated on a resource basis; all previous figures are cash-based