18 Feb 2008 : Column 57W—continued
18 Feb 2008 : Column 58W
Des Browne:
I am withholding the information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces deployed in Afghanistan.
Dr. Fox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many extra helicopters will be sent to Afghanistan as part of the spring roulement. [186285]
Des Browne:
I am withholding details of the numbers of helicopters that will be sent to Afghanistan as it would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of NATO forces.
Mr. Gray:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many troops deployed in Afghanistan will have tours lasting for longer than six months. [186884]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth:
The overwhelming majority of tours in Afghanistan are six months or less. However, individuals may deploy to Afghanistan for longer than six months in two different sets of circumstances.
First, when brigades rotate in and out of theatre, some individuals or units may have their tours slightly extended beyond the standard period of six months in order to ensure continuity of operations. These short extensions can be a matter of days or weeks and are agreed between the incoming and outgoing headquarters. Detailed figures on the number of individuals who may be required to extend in this way are not held centrally and could be established only at disproportionate cost.
Second, it has been decided that for important reasons of campaign continuity, a small number of posts should be filled by individuals undertaking nine or 12 month tours. Some 20 posts are currently established in this way, broken down as follows:
| Post | Number of individuals |
|
HQ ISAF
|
9
|
|
Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan
|
2
|
|
HQ Regional Command (South)
|
6
|
|
HQ Task Force Helmand
|
1
|
|
Others
|
2
|
|
Total
|
20
|
Circumstances may on occasions dictate, however, that it is not possible for a particular officer to deploy for a full extended tour.
Harry Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons NATO leaflets advised Afghan civilians to stay in their homes before the bombing of Musa Qala. [181909]
Des Browne:
There was no bombing of the urban area of Musa Qala during the recent operation to restore Government of Afghanistan control of the area. Indeed, great care was taken to avoid aerial bombardment of the town. A small number of precision attacks were made against Taliban forces identified in the surrounding area.
18 Feb 2008 : Column 59W
Leaflet drops warned the civilian population to remain indoors if fighting occurred in their area. This advice was given in order to avoid civilians being caught in crossfire.
Dr. Murrison:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much fresh fruit and vegetables was delivered to UK forces in (a) Afghanistan and (b) Helmand Province in each year since 2001. [184312]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth:
The detailed information is not held centrally in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Purple Foodservice Solutions, which has held the MOD Food Supply contract since October 2006, does maintain data on the total amount of fruit and vegetables shipped to Afghanistan since they took over the contract. From January 2007 to January 2008 this was 1,163,000 kg. This is not a comprehensive picture of fresh fruit and vegetables shipped to UK forces in Afghanistan however, since it excludes UK forces fed under contracts let by other nations and includes civilians or troops from other nations who are embedded in locations supplied by the MOD contract.
Mark Pritchard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will hold discussions with NATO allies on providing Pashtun linguists for non-kinetic operations in Afghanistan. [185203]
Des Browne:
I meet regularly with my NATO counterparts to discuss issues of mutual interest, including Afghanistan.
The majority of Pashtun speakers employed by ISAF forces are hired within Afghanistan.
18 Feb 2008 : Column 60W
Mark Pritchard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will hold discussions with his German counterpart about the provision of German troop transport support for OP Herrick 7 and OP Herrick 8. [185205]
Des Browne:
I meet regularly with my NATO and EU counterparts, including the German Defence Minister to discuss Afghanistan and other issues of mutual interest.
Mark Pritchard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received of the nationalities of Taliban fighters killed in Afghanistan since the conflict began; and if he will make a statement. [185207]
Des Browne:
I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey) on 1 November 2006, Official Report, column 423W.
Mr. Frank Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) name and (b) age at death was of each British serviceman and woman (i) killed and (ii) severely injured in Afghanistan since 2001; and what the (A) location and (B) date of each death or injury was. [185264]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth
[holding answer 7 February 2008]: Information on fatalities in Iraq and Afghanistan is published and updated regularly on the Ministry of Defence website at:
The details requested are reproduced as follows:
| Date of Death | Name and Rank | Age | Location |
|
20 January 2008
|
Corporal Darryl Gardiner
|
25
|
Helmand Province
|
|
8 December 2007
|
Sergeant Lee Johnson
|
33
|
Helmand Province
|
|
4 December 2007
|
Trooper Jack Sadler
|
21
|
Helmand Province
|
|
14 November 2007
|
Captain John McDermid
|
43
|
Helmand Province
|
|
9 November 2007
|
Lance Corporal Jake Alderton
|
22
|
Helmand Province
|
|
4 October 2007
|
Major Alexis Roberts
|
32
|
Kandahar Province
|
|
20 September 2007
|
Colour Sergeant Phillip Newman
|
36
|
Helmand Province
|
|
20 September 2007
|
Private Brian Tunnicliffe
|
33
|
Helmand Province
|
|
17 September 2007
|
Corporal Ivano Violino
|
29
|
Helmand Province
|
|
8 September 2007
|
Sergeant Craig Brelsford
|
25
|
Helmand Province
|
|
8 September 2007
|
Private Johan Botha
|
25
|
Helmand Province
|
|
5 September 2007
|
Private Damian Wright
|
18
|
Helmand Province
|
|
5 September 2007
|
Private Ben Ford
|
23
|
Helmand Province
|
|
30 August 2007
|
Senior Aircraftman Christopher Bridge
|
20
|
Kandahar Province
|
|
23 August 2007
|
Private Aaron James McClure
|
19
|
Helmand Province
|
|
23 August 2007
|
Private Robert Graham Foster
|
19
|
Helmand Province
|
|
23 August 2007
|
Private John Thrumble
|
21
|
Helmand Province
|
|
11 August 2007
|
Captain David Hicks
|
26
|
Helmand Province
|
|
10 August 2007
|
Private Tony Rawson
|
27
|
Helmand Province
|
|
29 July 2007
|
Lance Corporal Michael Jones
|
26
|
Southern Afghanistan
|
|
27 July 2007
|
Sergeant Barry Keen
|
34
|
Helmand Province
|
|
26 July 2007
|
Guardsman David Atherton
|
25
|
Helmand Province
|
|
25 July 2007
|
Lance Corporal Alex Hawkins
|
22
|
Helmand Province
|
|
12 July 2007
|
Guardsman Daryl Hickey
|
27
|
Helmand Province
|
|
1 July 2007
|
Sergeant Dave Wilkinson
|
33
|
Helmand Province
|
18 Feb 2008 : Column 61W
18 Feb 2008 : Column 62W
|
30 June 2007
|
Captain Sean Dolan
|
40
|
Helmand Province
|
|
24 June 2007
|
Drummer Thomas Wright
|
21
|
Helmand Province
|
|
9 June 2007
|
Guardsman Neil Downes
|
20
|
Helmand Province
|
|
6 June 2007
|
Lance Corporal Paul Sandford
|
23
|
Helmand Province
|
|
30 May 2007
|
Corporal Mike Gilyeat
|
28
|
Helmand Province
|
|
28 May 2007
|
Corporal Darren Bonner
|
31
|
Helmand Province
|
|
26 May 2007
|
Guardsman Daniel Probyn
|
22
|
Helmand Province
|
|
20 May 2007
|
Lance Corporal George Russell Davey
|
23
|
Helmand Province
|
|
3 May 2007
|
Guardsman Simon Davison
|
22
|
Helmand Province
|
|
13 April 2007
|
Private Chris Gray
|
19
|
Helmand Province
|
|
8 March 2007
|
Warrant Officer Class 2 Michael Smith
|
39
|
Helmand Province
|
|
6 March 2007
|
Marine Benjamin Reddy
|
22
|
Helmand Province
|
|
3 March 2007
|
Lance Bombardier Ross Clark
|
25
|
Helmand Province
|
|
3 March 2007
|
Lance Bombardier Liam McLaughlin
|
21
|
Helmand Province
|
|
21 February 2007
|
Marine Scott Summers
|
23
|
Helmand Province
|
|
21 February 2007
|
Marine Jonathan Holland
|
23
|
Helmand Province
|
|
15 January 2007
|
Lance Corporal Mathew Ford
|
24
|
Helmand Province
|
|
13 January 2007
|
Marine Thomas Curry
|
21
|
Helmand Province
|
|
27 December 2006
|
Lance Bombardier James Dwyer
|
22
|
Helmand Province
|
|
12 December 2006
|
Marine Richard J Watson
|
23
|
Helmand Province
|
|
5 December 2006
|
Marine Jonathan Wigley
|
21
|
Helmand Province
|
|
19 October 2006
|
Marine Gary Wright
|
22
|
Helmand Province
|
|
6 September 2006
|
Lance Corporal Paul Muirhead
|
29
|
Helmand Province
|
|
6 September 2006
|
Lance Corporal Luke McCulloch
|
21
|
Helmand Province
|
|
6 September 2006
|
Corporal Mark William Wright
|
27
|
Helmand Province
|
|
4 September 2006
|
Private Craig O'Donnell
|
24
|
Kabul
|
|
2 September 2006
|
Flight Lieutenant Steven Johnson
|
38
|
Kandahar Province
|
|
2 September 2006
|
Flight Lieutenant Leigh Anthony Mitchelmore
|
28
|
Kandahar Province
|
|
2 September 2006
|
Flight Lieutenant Gareth Rodney Nicholas
|
40
|
Kandahar Province
|
|
2 September 2006
|
Flight Lieutenant Allan James Squires
|
39
|
Kandahar Province
|
|
2 September 2006
|
Flight Lieutenant Steven Swarbrick
|
28
|
Kandahar Province
|
|
2 September 2006
|
Flight Sergeant Gary Wayne Andrews
|
48
|
Kandahar Province
|
|
2 September 2006
|
Flight Sergeant Stephen Beattie
|
42
|
Kandahar Province
|
|
2 September 2006
|
Flight Sergeant Gerard Martin Bell
|
48
|
Kandahar Province
|
|
2 September 2006
|
Flight Sergeant Adrian Davies
|
49
|
Kandahar Province
|
|
2 September 2006
|
Sergeant Benjamin James Knight
|
25
|
Kandahar Province
|
|
2 September 2006
|
Sergeant John Joseph Langton
|
29
|
Kandahar Province
|
|
2 September 2006
|
Sergeant Gary Paul Quilliam
|
42
|
Kandahar Province
|
|
2 September 2006
|
Corporal Oliver Simon Dicketts
|
27
|
Kandahar Province
|
|
2 September 2006
|
Marine Joseph David Windall
|
22
|
Kandahar Province
|
|
1 September 2006
|
Ranger Anare Draiva
|
27
|
Helmand Province
|
|
27 August 2006
|
Lance Corporal Jonathan Peter Hetherington
|
22
|
Helmand Province
|
|
20 August 2006
|
Corporal Bryan James Budd
|
29
|
Helmand Province
|
|
12 August 2006
|
Lance Corporal Sean Tansey
|
26
|
Helmand Province
|
|
9 August 2006
|
Private Leigh Reeves
|
25
|
Kabul Province
|
|
6 August 2006
|
Private Andrew Barrie Cutts
|
19
|
Helmand Province
|
|
1 August 2006
|
Captain Alex Eida
|
29
|
Helmand Province
|
|
1 August 2006
|
Second Lieutenant Ralph Johnson
|
24
|
Helmand Province
|
|
1 August 2006
|
Lance Corporal Ross Nicholls
|
27
|
Helmand Province
|
|
5 July 2006
|
Private Damien Jackson
|
19
|
Helmand Province
|
|
1 July 2006
|
Corporal Peter Thorpe
|
27
|
Helmand Province
|
|
1 July 2006
|
Lance Corporal Jabron Hashmi
|
24
|
Helmand Province
|
|
27 June 2006
|
Captain David Patten
|
38
|
Helmand Province
|
|
27 June 2006
|
Sergeant Paul Bartlett
|
35
|
Helmand Province
|
|
11 June 2006
|
Captain Jim Philippson
|
29
|
Helmand Province
|
|
27 March 2006
|
Lance Corporal Peter Edward Craddock
| |
Helmand Province
|
|
22 March 2006
|
Corporal Mark Cridge
|
25
|
Helmand Province
|
|
29 October 2005
|
Lance Corporal Steven Sherwood
|
23
|
Samagan Province
|
|
28 January 2004
|
Private Jonathan Kitulagoda
|
23
|
Kabul
|
|
17 August 2002
|
Sergeant Robert Busuttil
|
30
|
Kabul
|
|
17 August 2002
|
Corporal John Gregory
|
30
|
Kabul
|
|
9 April 2002
|
Private Darren John George
|
23
|
Kabul
|
