Government ignorance on unexploded cluster munitions incredible

The Government has no idea how many unexploded British cluster bombs remain from conflicts around the world, the Liberal Democrats have found.
 
In a Parliamentary answer, Defence Minister Bob Ainsworth admitted that he could not provide an accurate estimate of the number of unexploded British cluster munitions which still have to be cleared following their use in Iraq, Kuwait, Serbia and Kosovo.
 
Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary, Edward Davey said:
 
“These weapons have a terrible legacy, yet the Government appears to have no idea how many it has used and how many have been made safe.
 
“It is incredible that the Government cannot even provide an estimate as to the nature of the threat.
 
“These weapons are a hidden menace, not only to the security of the thousands of civilians who risk death or injury, but increasingly to Britain’s reputation.
 
“David Miliband must not bow to pressure from the MoD or from the US over its own desire to continue storing cluster munitions on British soil. He must sign Britain up to a full ban on these weapons.”
 
Further Information 

The full Parliamentary answer, given to Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey, is below:

 13 May, 2008
 Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in which UK military engagements in which theatres cluster munitions have been deployed in the last 20 years; and what estimate he has made of the amount of unexploded British ordnance left in each of those theatres.

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: UK forces have employed munitions carrying more than 10 sub-munitions in three operations since 1988: Operation Granby in Kuwait/Iraq in 1991; Operation Agricola in Serbia/Kosovo in 1999; and Operation Telic in Iraq in 2003.

Since then, military and civilian organisations have been engaged in clearing unexploded ordnance used by all parties in these conflicts. It is impracticable to provide an accurate estimate of how much progress has now been made in disposing of unexploded British ordnance originally fired by UK forces remains in each of these theatres.