CLUSTER BOMBS

Early day motion 51, tabled 7 December 2000 by Alice Mahon (Labour). Signed by 53 members.

That this House believes that the Ottawa Treaty on anti-personnel landmines should be amended to include a ban on the use of cluster bombs; notes that during the Gulf War 30,000 tonnes of ordnance was dropped on Iraq, this included cluster bombs which are still killing people; notes that similarly in Kosovo the RAF alone dropped 53 cluster bombs, each containing 147 bomblets, many of which did not explode on impact; further notes that Denis McNamara the UN Humanitarian Envoy claims in Kosovo there are 15 casualties a month and many children are victims; and believes that as well as a total ban on cluster bombs, those countries responsible for dropping them must undertake and pay for clearance of this lethal ordnance.

Signatures by party: Labour 42, Liberal Democrat 8, Plaid Cymru 2, Scottish National Party 1.