§ Mr. SarwarTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place a moratorium on the(a) use, (b) manufacture, (c) sale and (d) export of cluster bombs until new international law on the use and clearance of these weapons is introduced. [172024]
§ Mr. IngramNo. Cluster bombs are legal weapons that are not indiscriminate. They provide a unique capability for use against wide area or dispersed targets. Were we not to use them, it would be necessary to use a large number of either unitary bombs or artillery shells to cover an equivalent area, involving a greater tonnage of explosive. Increasing the number of munitions launched also increases the risk that one or more launches may go astray. In many instances, using munitions other than cluster bombs may pose a far greater risk to civilians at the time of attack. Any applications for the export of cluster bombs would be considered on a case by case basis against criteria announced by the Foreign Secretary on 28 July 1997 and the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Sales.