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Ministry of Defence

Answer

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the (a) quantity, (b) spread and (c) location of (i) mines, (ii) unexploded cluster bomb submunitions and (iii) unexploded conventional munitions in Afghanistan; what efforts are (A) planned and (B) underway to locate, defuse and remove these munitions; what countries are participating in these efforts; and if he will make a statement. [133320] Mr. Ingram: Responsibility for the assessment and clearance of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Afghanistan rests with that nation's ruling authorities. The majority of the assessment and the clearance of UXO is conducted by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) and commercial demining companies, in many cases working under the auspices of the United Nations. At the end of 2002, independent assessment showed that some 263 square kilometres of land had been cleared of UXO. The Ministry of Defence carries out assessments of the quantity, spread and location of mines and UXO to ensure the force protection of our Service personnel or to counter any immediate threat to civilian life in Afghanistan. Military Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) capability is currently provided by Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Croatia as part of the International Stabilisation and Assistance Force (ISAF).

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

133320; 413 c504W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Ammunition Armed conflict Bombs Bomb disposal Landmines Afghanistan

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

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