§ Adam PriceTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether members of the Royal Military Police were involved in the(a) arrest and (b) detention of the six Iraqis who have died in British custody in Iraq. [147707]
1404W
§ Mr. IngramWe do not release details of units who are involved in any incident that the SIB have investigated, unless the case is referred for court martial.
§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many casualties witnessed by UK forces in Iraq have been reported; and if he will make a statement. [148003]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 19 January 2004]If United Kingdom forces witness an incident in which they are not directly involved and civilian or military personnel are injured they assist medically if necessary and endeavour to report it to the appropriate authority. We do not record the number of casualties witnessed in such incidents centrally.
§ Adam PriceTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK troops have been evacuated from Iraq for treatment of medical problems not related to wounds or injuries. [148293]
§ Mr. IngramThere have been 1,109 medical evacuations of British military personnel from Iraq between May 2003 and February 2004. Of these some 460 were evacuated for treatment of medical problems not related to wounds or injuries.
§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the signing of liability waivers by Iraqi civilians who receive compensation payments from the UK for UK actions in Iraq; [151618]
(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the text of the liability waivers presented to Iraqi families receiving compensation from the UK for harm caused by UK forces; and if he will make a statement. [154675]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answers 30 January 2004 and 12 February 2004]Iraqi civilians who receive compensation payments from the United Kingdom do not sign liability waivers.
§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK(a) military and (b) civilian personnel have been (i) killed and (ii) injured in Iraq since 19 March 2003. [151619]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 30 January 2004]Since 19 March 2003, 58 United Kingdom service personnel have died while deployed on operations in Iraq. One civilian, a member of the Defence Fire Service, has died in the same period.
During major combat operations, from 19 March to 1 May 2003, UK forces suffered 155 battle casualties. Since then we have recorded centrally only those ill or injured personnel who have required medical evacuation to the UK. There have been 1,109 medical evacuations of British military personnel to date.
§ Harry CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contamination has occurred from depleted uranium ordnance in Iraq; whether this has arisen from(a) toxicity, (b) ionising radiation and (c) other aspects associated with the ordnance; whether human safety measures in this connection have been put in place; and if he will make a statement. [157137]
§ Mr. IngramDU is a "weakly radioactive substance" and its chemical toxicity is similar to that posed by other heavy metals such as lead.
1405WThe overall responsibility for dealing with depleted uranium (DU) contamination in Iraq lies with the Coalition Provision Authority (CPA), unless it has adverse effects on Ministry of Defence service personnel or civilians in theatre.
The MOD issues specific safety instructions to all personnel who may come into contact with Depleted Uranium (DU) in operational situations. These instructions have been publicly available on the MOD's website http://www.mod.uk/issues/depleted_uranium/gulf_safety_instructions.htm since February 2003. In addition to these, the MOD is carrying out activities to reassure civilians that the risk posed to them by DU is as minimal as practically possible Surface-lying DU fragments are being removed from the battlefield as they are discovered, and Iraqi locals have been warned through leaflets and signs that they should not go near or touch any debris they find on the battlefield.
§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the conclusions of each of the boards of inquiry from operations in Iraq which were outstanding on 31 October 2003 but which have since reported. [157151]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 5 March 2004]Further to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for New Forest, West (Mr. Swayne) on 23 February 2004,Official Report, column 3W, I can confirm that the only Board of Inquiry to report since 31 October 2003, is that concerning the death of Marine Maddison on 30 March 2003. The Board of Inquiry concluded that Marine Maddison's death was as a result of a tragic friendly fire incident.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when DU information cards Ref F Med 1018 were first issued to troops in Iraq; on what advice it was deemed necessary to issue such warnings, and from whom; and if he will make a statement. [159691]
§ Mr. CaplinThe depleted uranium (DU) information card F MED 1018 was introduced on 26 March 2003. It is issued as a standard administrative procedure to those returning from Operation Telic in Iraq to confirm that they have been deployed in a theatre where DU munitions have been used and to remind them of their eligibility for a voluntary biological monitoring test to measure uranium in the urine. It is therefore not a warning card, but is intended to inform personnel about one of the tests available in line with the Ministry of Defence operational health policies.