Former defence minister Geoff Hoon deliberately delayed the decision to order additional protective equipment which would have saved the life of a Shipley tank commander, the House of Lords was told last night.

Sergeant Steve Roberts, of Shipley, was shot dead by one of his own troops as he was attacked by an Iraqi only three days after being ordered to hand back body armour because of equipment shortages.

An inquest in Oxford into the 33-year-old's death heard he was left exposed by "serious failings" in the Army's supply and training methods.

Oxfordshire assistant deputy coroner Andrew Walker said Sgt Roberts died because of an "unforgivable and inexcusable" delay in providing body armour to troops.

Last night Defence Minister Lord Drayson admitted to Peers that Mr Hoon took the decision to delay ordering the additional protective armour to avoid giving a clear indication of preparation for military action.

He defended the Government's decision not to issue enhanced combat body armour to troops in Iraq and said at the time it had been "the right thing to do."

Lord Tyler, the former MP for Sgt Roberts's family in North Cornwall, speaking in the Lords, said: "Can the Minister also confirm that evidence that this decision was a misguided attempt to distance the MoD from the then Conservative demand to prepare for a pre-emptive strike on Iraq, and from President Bush's war preparations?"

In response, Lord Drayson denied it had been a "political decision" and said advice from the military to Mr Hoon relating to the decision at the time was "the right advice."

He added: "The decision he (Hoon) took not to take action on certain elements, which would have given clear indication of a preparation for military action when a diplomatic process was going on, was the right thing to do.

Lord Drayson told peers that "lessons had been learned" and all troops on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan are all now provided with enhanced combat armour.

Speaking after the debate Lord Tyler said: "As several Peers indicated - notably former Conservative Secretary of State, Lord King - it is complete nonsense to suggest that ordering vital equipment to protect troops would have undermined efforts to put pressure on Saddam Hussein.

"Ministers should have been determined to impress on Saddam the inevitability of military action if he did not co-operate.

"The Minister appeared to suggest that a decision by the Secretary of State on spurious diplomatic grounds was not political' - how ludicrous."

Mr Hoon was demoted from his former position earlier this year to minister of state for Europe.

He is no longer in the cabinet but attends cabinet meetings.

The former defence boss did not attend the inquest despite suggestions the Coroner Mr Walker wanted to question him over why it took eight weeks to authorise the ordering of extra body armour for soldiers being sent to Iraq.

Last month Mr Hoon's spokesman told the Telegraph & Argus: "He was never summoned to go to the inquest."

Sgt Roberts widow Samantha has made repeated calls for the Government to issue an apology over the circumstances of her husband's death.

e-mail: newsdesk@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

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