Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Lord Astor of Hever (Conservative). It was answered on Tuesday, 20 February 2007.

Iraq: Destruction of Hercules C130

Question: My Lords, Iraqi insurgents are going after American helicopters with some success. Is the Minister satisfied that our helicopters are adequately protected?

Answer: My Lords, I am satisfied that we are doing absolutely everything to provide all the protection that we can for our helicopters. We have invested upwards of £500 million in force protection across our operations, but we must recognise that those operations are dangerous; they are not risk-free. Despite all the action that we take and the professionalism, skill and bravery of our Armed Forces, they are dangerous operations. However, we are doing everything that we can to ensure the protection of our forces.

Secondary information