Sir Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential effectiveness of landmines in enabling the defence of land borders against conventional armed attack.  [42389]

[Due for Answer on 3 April]

ANSWER

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces (Luke Pollard): I hope the right hon. Gentleman will understand that the Ministry of Defence can’t comment publicly on operational matters. All anti-personnel landmines present an enduring risk to civilians in the wake of conflict. It is for this reason the UK remains a committed State Party to the Ottawa Treaty. The UK has successfully operated without anti-personnel landmines for fifteen years.