Thousands Of Unexploded Cluster Bomblets Left In Iraq

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 3rd Jul 2003

Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk, has questioned the Government over figures he obtained showing that thousands of unexploded bomblets from cluster munitions are littering Iraq.

Written answers to Parliamentary questions tabled by Mr Lamb state that during the recent conflict in Iraq, UK forces dropped 66 air-delivered cluster bombs (each containing 147 submunitions) and fired some 2,000 artillery-delivered bomblet shells (each of which contain 49 submunitions.)

Given a failure rate of just 2 per cent, the minimum quoted by their manufacturers, this means that over 2,000 unexploded submunitions are left in Iraq as a result of the use of cluster munitions by British forces alone; a 5 per cent failure rate represents an estimated 5,385 unexploded submunitions, while the manufacturers' maximum 16 per cent failure rate represents 17,232 left unexploded.

However, in response to a question from Norman Lamb following the Government's statement on Thursday about the humanitarian situation in Iraq, International Development Minister Hilary Benn was unable to say what the total number of unexploded submunitions is in Iraq, including those used by US forces.

"The Government must know how many unexploded bomblets there are in Iraq", said Norman Lamb - "they're simply not telling us. This is totally unacceptable.

"This is an additional lethal ingredient in an already highly volatile situation. The Government needs to take urgent action to speed up the clearance of these deadly remnants of conflict. It should also stop trying to water down the international treaty requiring countries to destroy all unexploded cluster bomblets that their military action leaves behind. The UK should be at the forefront of trying to reduce the post-conflict suffering cluster bombs cause."

NOTES

The written answer Norman Lamb received from Hilary Benn MP at the Department for International Development:

Iraq

Norman Lamb: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what reports the Department has received from (a) UNMAS and (b) other sources on the number of (i) air-launched and ground-launched cluster munitions and (ii) unexploded bomblets at the sites where cluster munitions were used during the recent conflict in Iraq. [117198]

Hilary Benn: DFID is not aware of any comprehensive assessment on the number of air-launched and ground-launched cluster munitions used during the recent conflict, nor on the number of unexploded bomblets remaining. However the Ministry of Defence report that during the conflict UK forces dropped 66 air-delivered cluster bombs and fired some 2,000 artillery-delivered bomblet shells.

We recognise that unexploded ordnance (UXO) is a matter of grave humanitarian concern. The UK is fully committed to facilitating the clearance of UXO as part of the post-conflict reconstruction of Iraq. Demining organisations funded by DFID (UN Mine Action Service £4 million and Mines Advisory Group £81,000) are working alongside local organisations and the Coalition military to plot the locations of all UXO and to carry out disposals.