To ask the Prime Minister on what dates prior to the recent conflict with Iraq he met the heads of each of the armed forces to discuss the proposed conflict. [129222]

I discussed the situation in Iraq with the heads of the armed forces at a meeting on 15 January 2003; the Defence Secretary and the Chief of the Defence staff were also present. Subsequently, the views of the Chiefs of Staff were represented to me by the Chief of the Defence Staff, whom I met regularly prior to the conflict.

To ask the Prime Minister which weapons the Prime Minister was referring to in his foreword to the Government's Iraq dossier when he made the statement that military planning allows for some of the weapons of mass destruction to be ready within 45 minutes of an order to use them. [129840]

It was judged that the chemical and biological munitions concerned would be deployed with battlefield systems such as artillery, multiple-launch rockets and mortars.