More Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships are to deploy this month as the pressure on Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein increases.

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon has announced that additional ships will leave for the Mediterranean where they will meet up with the long-planned Naval Task Group 2003 (NTG 2003) as all British military options are kept open in case of the need for operations against Iraq.

Royal Marines troops and support will be embarked in the expanded task group.

Mr Hoon’s statement in the House of Commons yesterday also revealed that he was enabling the precautionary call-out of a number of Reservists, again to ensure that they are available should operations against Iraq become necessary.

The minister emphasised that such operations are by no means inevitable, but that such preparations were necessary to underpin the continuing diplomatic efforts to secure full Iraqi compliance with United Nations resolutions on weapons of mass destruction.

Mr Hoon began by reiterating an earlier written statement to the House by Foreign Secretary Jack Straw which set out the Government's policy objectives for Iraq, making clear the British commitment both to the disarmament of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and to the United Nations process, with the ultimate aim that Iraq should become a "stable, united and law abiding state, within its present borders, co-operating with the international community, no longer posing a threat to its neighbours or to international security, abiding by all its international obligations and providing effective and representative government for its own people."

The Defence Secretary observed that about 110 United Nations and International Atomic Energy Authority inspectors are working in Iraq, and have already completed over 200 inspections, investigating suspected gaps in Iraq's declaration of its weapons of mass destruction programmes.

“Whilst we want Saddam Hussein to disarm voluntarily, it is evident that we will not achieve this unless we continue to present him with a clear and credible threat of force. So the policy objectives also make clear that we must continue with military planning and preparations,” said Mr Hoon, who then outlined the steps that the Government has decided to take.

First, measures are to be taken to enable the call-up of Reservists for possible action against Iraq, and although Mr Hoon said that details of numbers and possible roles would depend on how contingency plans take shape, he believed that sufficient notices would be sent out initially to secure some 1,500 Reservists.

The move is being made now, said Mr Hoon, as Reservists cannot act immediately, but need time to go through the mobilisation process, get their affairs in order, draw necessary equipment and undergo any training required for a possible deployment.

“This does not mean that a decision has been taken to commit British forces to such operations,” said Mr Hoon. “But it is an essential enabling measure to ensure that if such operations become necessary they will be properly supported with the skills and expertise that our reserve forces provide.”

The second step is the decision to send additional ships and troops with NTG 2003, adding a “significant amphibious capability” to the Group, the original programme for which was announced in the latter stages of last year.

NTG 2003 will still be led, as planned, by aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, but a second big ship – helicopter carrier HMS Ocean – is now also earmarked to deploy in connection with the group, as are two further destroyers, HMS Edinburgh and HMS York. HMS Liverpool was already part of the original task group, as was Type 23 frigate HMS Marlborough.

Aviation training ship RFA Argus – which can also function as a primary casualty receiving ship – three landing ships and additional supply and stores auxiliaries are also set to sail in the coming weeks.

The full list of ships deploying in the near future is: aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal; helicopter carrier HMS Ocean; destroyers HMS Liverpool, HMS Edinburgh, and HMS York; frigate HMS Marlborough; RFAs Argus, Fort Victoria (supply ship), Fort Rosalie (supply ship) and Fort Austin (supply ship); Landing Ships Logistic Sir Galahad, Sir Tristram and Sir Percivale; a mine countermeasures group initially comprising Sandown-class ship HMS Grimsby and HMS Ledbury, a Hunt-class vessel; and a submarine as originally planned for Naval Task Group 2003. Tanker RFA Orangeleaf, which was part of the original NTG 2003 group, is already in the Mediterranean.

Mr Hoon added: “We plan to deploy amphibious forces in Ark Royal, Ocean and associated shipping, including Headquarters 3 Commando Brigade, 40 Commando Royal Marines and 42 Commando Royal Marines with supporting elements.”

The minister also declared that “the Group will conduct training in the Mediterranean with a view to proceeding to the Gulf region if and as required.”

Mr Hoon again emphasised that these preparations were not necessarily a prelude to war.

“The objective is to ensure the readiness of a broad range of military capabilities,” he said.

“ Preparatory steps of this nature are necessary in order to keep military options open. It is likely that we will want to make further deployments in the coming weeks for this same purpose.

“We are taking steps to ensure the readiness of units and equipment, and the availability of appropriate chartered shipping and air transport in which to deploy them.

“None of this means that the use of force is inevitable. And despite the speculation that will arise as a result of these announcements today, it remains the case that no decision has been taken to commit these forces to action.

“But, as I said on the December 18, as long as Saddam's compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1441 is in doubt, as it continues to be at present, the threat of force must remain and it must be a real one.”

The key to the new set of deployments is flexibility. If needed, the group would be available for any operations in the Gulf, but if the situation in Iraq is resolved, then much of the original NTG 2003 programme can still be fulfilled – training opportunities in the Med and the Middle East region had already been built into the group’s schedule when it was planned.