---

Iraq (Basra Incident)

The hon. Gentleman draws me into a level of detail that I have been urged not to be drawn into by those who are responsible for the health and welfare of the families of those missing, presumed killed. Over the past 48 hours or thereabouts, Ihave been schooled in the vocabulary of these announcements, but I can give the hon. Gentleman the assurance—he will know this from his own experience—that the armed forces are giving the families of those whom we believe were killed in the incident the level of support that would be expected. I have absolutely no doubt that there is a level of communication going on there that would be entirely inappropriate in public.