Q&A : Written Replies

DRUGS TROOPS: Four British soldiers currently serving with the United Nations peacekeeping force in Bosnia are to be disciplined for drugs offences, it was disclosed last night.

Investigations were continuing into alleged drug offences committed by three other soldiers - two lance-corporals and one private - the Armed Forces minister, Nicholas Soames, said. Two others, a corporal and a lance-corporal, have been cleared.

The four facing disciplinary hearings are a lance-corporal and three privates. The Ministry of Defence has refused to give further details of the incidents.

Mr Soames, replying to the Liberal Democrat defence spokesman Menzies Campbell, said: "Although we view all cases involving the misuse of drugs with concern, the total number of personnel investigated represents less than 1 per cent of the British forcesserving in the former Yugoslavia."