HC Deb 30 June 2003 vol 408 cc40-3W
Julie Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how large the task force is which is looking for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq broken down by(a) scientists, (b) army personnel and (c) others; and if she will list the job categories of those in © above. [121013]

Mr. Hoon

[holding answer 23 June 2003]: The Iraq Survey Group will have a changing membership based on the task at hand. The ISG will be around 1,400 strong and will be able to draw upon expertise and personnel as required. Its members would be Service personnel and subject-matter technical experts.

Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which British Service personnel will be withdrawn from Iraq. [122447]

Mr. Hoon

We have committed ourselves to the long-term humanitarian, political and economic welfare of the Iraqi people. We will help them to restore effective representative government for all their people, to regain economic stability, and to reintegrate into the international community. Our Military Campaign Objectives contain a commitment to the withdrawal of British military forces from Iraq as soon as is practicable.

Richard Younger-Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what weapons British forces allow Iraqis to keep for self-defence. [122645]

Mr. Ingram

Iraqi citizens are prohibited from possessing automatic weapons or from carrying weapons in public. In their homes, Iraqi citizens may keep non-automatic rifles, shotguns and pistols.

Mr. MacDougall

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his latest estimate is of the number of deaths resulting from the recent war in Iraq. [117878]

Mr. Ingram

[holding answer 9 June 2003]: In the period to 1 May, 33 UK service personnel had lost their lives. As of 25 June a further 10 personnel had died.

Fatalities suffered by other members of the coalition is a matter for them to comment on.

We make every effort to minimise any impact on the Iraqi civilian population of the coalition's military action. We have no means of ascertaining the numbers of Iraqi civilians, or other categories, who were killed during the conflict.

Regular medical personnel deployed on operations overseas
Iraq Bosnia Kosovo Afghanistan Sierra Leone Falkland Islands
Anaesthetics 2 1 1 0 0 0
General Surgery 1 0 1 0 0 0
General Medicine 0 1 0 0 0 0
Occupational Medicine/Public Health 2 0 0 0 0 0
General Practitioner/General Duties Medical Officer 22 3 2 1 1 2
Nurses 29 6 8 1 1 1
Physiotherapy 0 1 1 0 0 0
Environmental Health Officer 1 1 0 0 0 0
Environmental Health Technician 3 0 0 1 0 0
Pharmacist 2 0 0 0 0 0
Pharmacy Technician 1 1 0 0 0 0
Laboratory Technician 1 1 0 0 0 0
Radiography 0 1 0 0 0 0
Operating Department Practitioner 0 0 2 0 0 0
Combat Medical Technician/Medical Assistant 124 42 10 6 0 11
Health Care Assistant 0 4 6 0 0 0
Medical Support Officer 22 4 0 0 0 0
Dental Officer 2 2 0 0 0 0
Dental Support Specialist 2 2 0 0 0 1

Mr. Gerald Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has been raised for British servicemen through the UK Gulf Forces Trust Fund. [121799]

Mr. Caplin

As at 25 June the total amount raised by the United Kingdom Forces Gulf Fund was approximately £290,000.

Mr. Tynan

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Iraq Survey Group to report on the progress of its work; and if he will make a statement. [122131]

Mr. Ingram

I refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's answer on 23 June 2003,Official Report, column 616W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Llew Smith).

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many casualties there have been in the Iraq conflict, broken down by(a) British military personnel, (b) Iraqi civilians and (c) other categories. [118879]

Mr. Ingram

In the period to 1 May, 33 UK Service personnel had lost their lives. As of 25 June a further 10 personnel had died.

We make every effort to minimise any impact on the Iraqi civilian population of the coalition's military action. We have no means of ascertaining the numbers of Iraqi civilians, or other categories, who were killed during the conflict.

Mr. Keetch

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many medical personnel are on service overseas, broken down by specialisation; in which locations; and if he will make a statement. [118798]

Mr. Caplin

[holding answer 12 June 2003]: As at 23 June 2003, 650 personnel in the Defence Medical Services were deployed on operations overseas. The following table breaks this down between Regular and Reserve personnel and by specialty and location:

Regular medical personnel deployed on operations overseas
Iraq Bosnia Kosovo Afghanistan Sierra Leone Falkland Islands
Anaesthetics 6 0 0 0 0 0
General Surgery 3 0 0 0 0 0
General Medicine 1 0 0 0 0 0
Pathologist 1 0 0 0 0 0
Radiologist 1 0 0 0 0 0
General Practitioner 11 0 0 0 0 0
Nurses 134 0 0 0 0 0
Physiotherapy 3 0 0 0 0 0
Technical Officer 3 0 0 0 0 0
Environmental Health Technician 2 0 0 0 0 0
Pharmacist 1 0 0 0 0 0
Laboratory Technician 6 0 0 0 0 0
Radiography 3 0 0 0 0 0
Operating Department Practitioner 10 0 0 0 0 0
Combat Medical Technician/Medical Assistant 117 0 0 0 0 0
Medical Support Officer 1 0 0 0 0 0
Dental Support Specialist 5 0 0 0 0 0
Dental Hygienist 1 0 0 0 0 0