BRITAIN FINALLY LIVES UP TO MORAL DUTY ON CLUSTER BOMBS- WILLOTT

11.00.00am GMT Wed 24th Mar 2010

Jenny Willott, the Liberal Democrat MP for Cardiff Central, has welcomed the decision by the House of Commons finally to ban the use of cluster bombs by the British Army.

The Bill banning the use of cluster bombs and munitions passed the final stages of the House of Commons last night and will mean that the UK will no longer use the weapons in any of its military actions.

The decision will also see the Army's current stockpiles of cluster bombs be completely destroyed by the end of 2013.

Commenting on the passage of the Bill Ms Willott said:

"I am very pleased that the UK will now finally live up to its moral obligation to end the use of these horrific weapons. This is a historic decision and one that has been a long time coming.

"Studies have shown that up to 98% of causalities from cluster bombs are civilians, many of them children who try to pick up unexploded bomblets thinking that they are toys. There is absolutely no excuse for the UK continuing to use these weapons."

Ms Willott also called on the Government to go further, and help clear up places where UK forces have used cluster bombs.

"The Government should now commit to helping clear up the damage it has done by using cluster bombs in the past and work to identify unexploded shells and dispose of them safely."