Written question asked by Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 28 October 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 18 November 2003. It was answered by Adam Ingram (Labour) on Tuesday, 18 November 2003 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Ministry of Defence

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the level of priority given to (a) avoiding civilian casualties and (b) ensuring the security of British troops in respect of unexploded ordnance clearance in Iraq.

Answer: Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the level of priority given to (a) avoiding civilian casualties and (b) ensuring the security of British troops in respect of unexploded ordnance clearance in Iraq. [135855] Mr. Ingram: The provision of a safe, secure and risk free environment for the Iraqi people is a key aspect of reconstruction activity for all members of the International Coalition in Iraq. The United Kingdom takes seriously its obligations as a member of that coalition to deal with unexploded ordnance. We afford a high priority to avoiding any injury or casualty from unexploded ordnance. Clearance operations are performed by specialists to minimise the chances of accidents occurring.

Secondary information