To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the provision of ammunition by the United Kingdom's European partners for the United Kingdom Gulf force, including who is financing such ammunition and the reasons.

During the build-up of the British contribution to the multinational force in the Gulf we sought additional ammunition of certain types from our European allies. Most of the ammunition required was provided either on loan—that is on a replacement or repayment basis—or for a nominal price, although some was procured at the market price.