Written question asked by Julian Lewis (Conservative) on Wednesday, 16 November 2016, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 22 November 2016 (named day). It was answered by Mike Penning (Conservative) on Tuesday, 22 November 2016 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Kurds: Military Aid

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent requests his Department has received from the Kurdistan regional government for (a) gas masks and (b) escape hoods to protect its Peshmerga forces advancing on Mosul from chemical weapons attack by Daesh fighters; and what steps he is taking to ensure that such equipment is supplied to the Peshmerga without delay.

Answer: The Peshmerga are playing a valuable role in the fight against Daesh in Iraq. The support and training provided by the Global Coalition, including the UK, has been a key contributor to their success. The Coalition coordinates all requests for equipment and support to ensure coherence, and has provided more than 24,000 protective chemical masks during training for the Iraqi security forces and Peshmerga in preparation for the Mosul offensive. The Coalition continues to keep this potential threat under review.

Secondary information