Written question asked by Angus Robertson (Scottish National Party) on Tuesday, 15 December 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 5 January 2010. It was answered by Bob Ainsworth (Labour) on Tuesday, 5 January 2010 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Iraq: Oil

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK armed forces personnel are involved in the protection of Iraqi oil facilities.

Answer: To the nearest 50, there are 200 UK armed forces personnel involved in the protection of Iraq's off-shore oil platforms. No UK personnel are involved in defending oil facilities on land.The precise number of personnel in theatre fluctuates on a daily basis for a variety of reasons, including mid-tour rest and recuperation, temporary absence for training, evacuation for medical reasons, the roulement of forces, visits and a range of other factors. We do not therefore publish actual figures for personnel deployed in theatre.

Secondary information