PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS FROM PS2 THE LEADING U.K. GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMPANY
Contact: ps2@btinternet.com
DEFENCE
Iraq
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his written Ministerial Statement of 7 July 2003, Official Report, column 41-42WS, on Iraq, whether the full report on operations in Iraq to which he referred will include estimates of the numbers of British and Iraqi military and civilian casualties resulting from recent military operations in Iraq. [125285]
Mr. Hoon: The full report on operations in Iraq will contain details of British fatal casualties only. We have no viable means of ascertaining the numbers of Iraqis killed or injured during the conflict. As of 10 October, 50 United Kingdom armed forces personnel and one member of the Defence Fire Service had died since the start of coalition military operations against Iraq. 12 of these deaths were non-battle fatalities.
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps were taken during the recent conflict in Iraq to encourage mutiny amongst Iraqi armed service personnel. [132291]
Mr. Ingram: In an attempt to keep the conflict short and minimise casualties on both sides, the Coalition encouraged surrender and desertion, though not mutiny, within the Iraqi armed forces. Throughout the conflict daily broadcasts were made and leaflets dropped, peaking on 21-23 March with Iraqi ex-military commanders and clerics making appeals to the Iraqi forces to surrender or desert.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the results of the investigations into the cause of Marine Maddison’s death in Iraq on 30 March; and if he will make a statement. [125986]
Mr. Ingram: The Service Police investigation into the death of Marine Maddison is continuing. No conclusions have yet been drawn and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.
Nuclear Submarines
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures are in place to ensure safety systems are followed at HM naval bases where private enterprise is involved in the maintenance and repair of nuclear submarines. [131551]
Mr. Ingram: Standards of safety in the maintenance and repair of nuclear submarines are ensured by the appointment of Radiation Protection Supervisors as defined by the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 (IRRs99). These Radiation Protection Supervisors ensure that the legally mandated local rules, written by the MOD or site operator as appropriate, are adhered to. The Naval Base Commanders employ Radiation Protection Advisers and Radiation Safety Officers to provide assurance and advice that these safety systems are being observed. In addition, MOD’s internal regulatory body provides assurance on nuclear safety to senior functional safety boards and the independent Defence Nuclear Safety Committee. The Health and Safety Executive’s Nuclear Installation Inspectorate (NII) also regulates MOD activities under IRRs99.
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether personal monitors of the IPM7 type are mandatory for all nuclear submarine radiation workers; [131547]
(2) what plans he has to improve the safety of workers on nuclear submarines; [131548]
(3) when the equipment used to monitor personnel leaving reactor compartments of nuclear submarines was last updated; and if he will make a statement. [131549]
Mr. Ingram: IPM-7 type detectors are not suitable for use onboard submarines due to space constraints. Alternative procedures are therefore in place to ensure all personnel are thoroughly monitored for contamination on completion of their work before going ashore.
The safety regime for workers on nuclear submarines complies fully with legal requirements. Safety arrangements are regularly audited and inspected by naval base assurance personnel and regulated by both MOD’s internal nuclear propulsion programme regul