§ The Earl of Sandwichasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many casualties, both military and civilian, have occurred in Iraq as a result of unexploded ordnance such as missiles, cluster bomblets or other sub-munitions; and what assistance they are giving to agencies carrying out surveys or clearance of such ordnance. [HL1535]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach)Unexploded ordnance in Iraq includes munitions from the Iran-Iraq war as well as mines laid by Iraqi forces, ordnance fired or dropped by both sides during recent hostilities and stores of ammunition and other ordnance left by Iraqi military and paramilitary forces.
United Kingdom forces have suffered one fatality from unexploded ordnance. We are not in a position to comment on casualties suffered by other members of the coalition. We have no reliable means of ascertaining the number of civilians killed or injured by unexploded ordnance since the end of the conflict.
111WACommercial demining organisations are currently working to clear unexploded ordnance in Iraq and UK forces are sharing information and co-ordinating clearance work as required.