Iraq

Oral Answers to Questions — Defence – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 1 March 2004.

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Photo of Alistair Burt Alistair Burt Conservative, North East Bedfordshire 2:30, 1 March 2004

What recent assessment he has made of the security of British troops stationed in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Photo of Geoff Hoon Geoff Hoon Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence

Force protection has the highest priority for UK forces. Commanders on the ground employ appropriate force protection measures in accordance with threat assessments. The security situation is under constant review and commanders adapt protection measures to reflect changing circumstances.

Photo of Alistair Burt Alistair Burt Conservative, North East Bedfordshire

In order to reassure my constituents serving in Iraq and their relatives, it is surely necessary for the Secretary of State to clear up discrepancies about the recent past. Why did servicemen tell "Channel 4 News" that, in the face of anticipated attacks from weapons of mass destruction they were given nuclear, biological and chemical protection kits that were routinely incomplete and gas mask filters that were out of date? As that is contrary to assurances that the Secretary of State gave to the House on 6 February 2003, will he clear up the discrepancy, and appreciate how such unresolved discrepancies affect current confidence?

Photo of Geoff Hoon Geoff Hoon Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence

As the hon. Gentleman knows, there has been a series of investigations into the difficulties that certain individuals experienced in the course of operations in Iraq. They need to be put in the context of the overall success of the logistic effort found by the National Audit Office and in our own investigations, but obviously we take seriously any of the problems that were highlighted. If we had precise details of the particular circumstances of the individuals in question, we could investigate them properly.