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Container Incident

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was in the Levins containers found in the former First World War training area near Saltdene; what happened to this material; and what representations were received from the Health and Safety Executive about the disposal of this material. [106785]

Dr. Moonie: Four Levins containers were recovered to Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) Porton Down from the Brighton area in October 1993. It is believed that these are the items to which my hon. Friend is referring.

The containers were opened at Porton Down in 1994 in accordance with normal procedures and were found to contain sand and water.

No representations were received by DSTL Porton Down from the Health and Safety Executive concerning the disposal of these containers.

Departmental Invoices

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the occasions on which (a) his Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department failed to pay valid invoices within 30 days or after the agreed credit period in the financial year 2001–02. [104318]

Dr. Moonie: The Defence Bills Agency is a shared service centre for the Ministry of Defence accounts payable and debt management function, paying the bulk (4.5 million per annum) of the Department's bills.

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In financial year 2001–02, the agency had a Key Target to pay 99.5 per cent. of correctly presented bills within 11 calendar days, as a response to the overall Government target of 30 days. Actual performance against the target was 99.9 per cent.

Information on the occasions where we failed to pay valid invoices within 30 days or after the agreed credit period could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Depleted Uranium

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what plans he has to review the use by British forces of depleted uranium ammunition in the light of its environmental impact in Bosnia-Herzegovina; [107139]

(2) if he will make a statement on the findings of the UN Environment Programme's report on depleted uranium in Bosnia and Herzegovina. [107138]

Mr. Ingram: I have no current plans to review the use of depleted uranium (DU) ammunition by British Forces.

United Nations Environment Programme environmental assessment of Bosnia-Herzogovina concluded that the recorded contamination levels are very low and do not present immediate radioactive or toxic risks for the environment or human health. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 2 April 2003, Official Report, columns 735–36W, to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Ms Munn).

Gulf War (Compensation)

Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether (a) civilian support staff and (b) military personnel are required to prove that injuries or illnesses are Gulf war related before they are entitled to compensation from the Government. [105954]

Dr. Moonie: Claims for common law compensation made against the Ministry of Defence by anyone are considered on the basis of whether or not the Ministry of Defence has a legal liability to pay compensation. Where there is a legal liability to pay compensation we do so.

No-fault compensation for Service personnel disabled as a result of their Service is provided in the form of the War Pensions Scheme. A war disablement pension can be paid for any disablement provided a causal link to Service is accepted.

As at 31 December 2002, 2,364 Gulf veterans were in receipt of a war disablement pension (this figure includes awards for both Gulf and non-Gulf related illness).

HMS Sheffield

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1), what guarantee there is in the sale document that HMS Sheffield will never be owned by the Argentinian Government; [105434]

(2) what discussions he has had with (a) the Argentinian Government and (b) the Chilean Government about the sale of HMS Sheffield; [105433]

(3) what plans he has to sell HMS Sheffield. [105432]

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Mr. Ingram: [holding answer 28 March 2003]: In common with all Government-to-Government sales of surplus United Kingdom defence equipment, the sales documentation for HMS Sheffield contains an undertaking by the buying Government that they will obtain prior formal consent of the Ministry of Defence to the transfer of possession of the ship or its equipments to any third party. Additionally the Government that buys HMS Sheffield from the United Kingdom will be required to apply for an Export Licence from the Department of Trade and Industry, which will involve submission of an end user certificate.

The subject of the sale of HMS Sheffield has been discussed during contacts between United Kingdom and Chilean Defence Ministers on issues of mutual interest since the declaration of the ship for disposal. The subject has not been raised in similar bilateral meetings with the Argentinean Government.

Negotiations over the sale of HMS Sheffield for future use to an acceptable overseas government are in their final stages.

Iraq

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether UK forces will seek to deliver humanitarian relief in disputed territory in Iraq. [106844]

Mr. Ingram: Until the security situation in Iraq stabilises enough for civilian aid agencies to deploy fully, United Kingdom forces will continue to deliver humanitarian assistance to the people of Iraq where it is needed and where they are able to do so. However, we cannot deliver that assistance if doing so poses unacceptable risks to British soldiers. By disguising his militia as civilians, Saddam Hussein is disrupting the provision of aid. This is entirely consistent with the disregard he has always shown towards his own people.

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what responsibilities under the Geneva Convention coalition forces have to deliver humanitarian relief in disputed territory in Iraq. [106846]

Mr. Ingram: The United Kingdom is a party to the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War and will comply fully with its obligations under that Convention. The application of the provisions of that Convention depends on the progress of the conflict and may differ across the country. The provision of humanitarian assistance by United Kingdom forces has already begun in towns in southern Iraq where the situation has stabilised enough to make this possible. That effort will continue until civilian aid agencies can deploy fully.

In other areas where United Kingdom troops are present, we are monitoring the humanitarian situation and stand ready to provide whatever assistance is required once local elements of the regime collapse and a secure environment is established.

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to parachute aid into urban areas meeting fierce resistance in the Iraqi conflict. [107123]

Mr. Ingram: We currently have no such plans.

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Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions have been given to the Royal Mail regarding parcels and mail to the armed forces involved in action in Iraq. [107142]

Mr. Ingram: Advice given to Royal Mail Group on the subject of mail to personnel deployed in the Gulf is as follows:

A surface parcels service is not available, and parcels should not be accepted.

Airmail letters and packets up to two kilograms in weight should be charged at the BFPO European rate, which equates to first class inland postal charges.

Forces Free Air Letters ("blueys") are available free of charge.

The BFPO numbers applicable to deployed forces and HM Ships have been specified.

I refer my hon. Friend also to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 2 April 2003, Official Report, column 912, to my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley, North (Mrs. Adams).

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his oral answers to the hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson) and the right hon. Member for Bracknell (Mr. Mackay) on 31 March 2003, Official Report, columns 651 and 660, if he will make a further statement on his Department's policy on postal services to Her Majesty's forces in the Gulf. [107380]

Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 2 April 2003, Official Report, column 912, to my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley, North (Mrs. Adams).

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the potential environmental impact of the use of depleted uranium ammunition in the current operations against Iraq. [107140]

Mr. Ingram: It is not possible to carry out environmental impact studies in Iraq at the present time. However, we accept the Royal Society's assessment of the potential effects of depleted uranium (DU) on the environment, as detailed in the two reports on "The Health Hazards of Depleted Uranium Munitions" (2001, 2002).

DU particulate remains highly localised to the points of impact where DU munitions have struck hard targets: only in these small areas would DU levels be significant enough to necessitate precautions to prevent or reduce possible intakes. This view is supported by the United Nations Environment Programme as well as the Royal Society's DU Working Group.

The Royal Society's report on "The Health Hazards of Depleted Uranium Munitions" Part II states that

"Modelling of the amounts of DU re-suspended from soil in the years following a conflict indicates that the estimated inhalation intakes will not lead to any increase in the incidence of lung cancer or any other cancers among children or adults. Nor are they likely to lead to any significant effects on kidney function."

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