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Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Answer

[holding answer 1 April 2009]: Officials are collating and validating the data needed and this is taking longer than anticipated. I will write to the hon. Member when this work is complete. Substantive answer from Bob Ainsworth to Adam Holloway: "I am writing to provide you with the information promised in mine and my predecessor's holding replies to your Parliamentary Questions regarding ammunition expenditure in Afghanistan on ""20 April 2009 (Official Report, column 46W); 31 March 2009 (Official Report, column 1034W) and 26 November 2008 (Official Report, column 1518W).""The Ministry of Defence has recently completed a review of the data on ammunition usage required to answer this question, and has revised the manner in which we classify and present data to ensure consistency. The table below shows all ammunition expenditure for UK forces in Afghanistan from the beginning of retained records (August 2006) to the end of Operation HERRICK 9 (October 2008-April 2009), in April of this year.""You will note that, unfortunately, this review has resulted in corrections to the ammunition figures previously issued for the HERRICK 6 (April 2007-October 2007) and HERRICK 7 (October 2007-April 2008) roulements. These figures have been found to be incorrect due inconsistency of tour dates taken, inconsistency of inclusion of training rounds and a failure to include all variations of ammunition in all cases."

Ammunition type	Herrick 4 (13 August 2006-October 2006)¹	Herrick 5 (October 2006-April 2007)	Herrick 6 (April 2007-October 2007)	Herrick 7 (October 2007-April 2008)	Herrick 8 (April 2008-October 2008)	Herrick 9 (October 2008-April 2009)
7.62 mm all variants	210,000	520,000	1,300,000	1,380,000	700,000	908,400
5.56 mm all variants	235,000	615,000	1,490,000	1,390,000	1,000,000	1,080,000
0.5 inch all variants	25,000	90,000	200,000	180,000	113,000	196,000
12.7 mm all variants	2,400	350	4,800	21,000	13,000	10,600
9 mm all variants	10,000	69,000	30,000	69,000	71,700	61,400
0.338 inch all variants	200	1,700	5,600	7,300	8,200	12,100
12 bore shotgun all variants	5	45	660	15,100	300	525
105 mm all variants	8,600	4,300	12,100	12,400	5,600	11,200
30 mm armd fighting veh rounds	1,200	5,000	3,600	2,800	745	4,500
30 mm Attack helicopter rounds	29,800	21,000	27,800	15,700	34,400	34,200
¹ Accounting records exist only from 13 August 2006—mid Herrick 4.
Notes:
1. All tour dates are taken from the Transfer of Authority from one Brigade to the next.
2. All figures rounded to nearest 10,000, 1,000 or 100.

"Ammunition expenditure is shown for the whole of Afghanistan, rather than just Helmand Province as the information is collated centrally for UK forces in Afghanistan. The data includes all training rounds used and all variants of each ammunition type. It is collated by each HERRICK roulement, at the end of which the data is finalised for records." "All data shown above is data based on information derived from a number of sources and can only be an estimate, not least because of the difficulties in ensuring a consistent interpretation of the basis for collating statistics in a complex fast-moving multinational operational environment." "I hope that the above information addresses your concerns on this matter." "I will place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House."

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

496 c1791-2W; 268210

Session

2008-09

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Notes

Supplements information on 20 April 2009 at 491 c46W

Subjects

Peacekeeping operations Afghanistan

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk