Mr Hoon has said he was 'extremely sorry' about the war deaths

The top civil servant at the Ministry of Defence has said the armed forces only got the go-ahead for full preparations in late November 2002.

Conservative defence spokesman Nicholas Soames said there was an "unacceptable delay" in ordering extra kit.

But Mr Hoon said early preparations for the war had been made but not in a way which put diplomatic efforts at risk.

Flak jackets

Mr Hoon has rejected calls for his resignation over the death of Sergeant Steve Roberts, who was killed days after handing his enhanced flak jacket to another unit.

Last week, Ministry of Defence permanent secretary Sir Kevin Tebbit was questioned by the Commons defence committee.

He said military chiefs decided in October 2002 that troops should use enhanced body armour, which was not standard issue.

Thirty-eight thousand sets of the flak jackets were sent out to the Gulf, but they did not reach all troops.

Blair's go-ahead

Shadow defence secretary Mr Soames asked whether Mr Hoon, the chancellor or the prime minister had been responsible for ministers waiting until November to give the green light for full preparations.

And he said it was "wholly unacceptable" that some armoured vehicles had not received nuclear, biological and chemical protection filters in time for battle.

Mr Hoon said "overt preparations" for war were not made to avoid compromising the diplomatic efforts to resolve the Iraq crisis.

"That is not to say early preparations had not been taken once the prime minister indicated in the House, as he did at the end of September, that it was necessary to prepare our forces for the possibility of a conflict," he went on.

The minister accused the Conservatives of misrepresenting the National Audit Office report, which praised the overall success of the military campaign but pointed to some shortfalls.

That report had described the overall nuclear, biological and chemical protection for troops as "good", although it had highlighted some shortfalls.

Red Cap deaths

Mr Hoon was also questioned about Black Watch troops being sent to war without vital equipment.

But he said the press article about the problems had itself pointed to the very "very considerable success of the logistical effort".

Meanwhile, Tory MP Bob Spink called for a public inquiry into the deaths of the six Royal Military Policemen killed by a mob in Iraq last June.

He pointed to newspaper reports suggesting the Red Caps had not received the correct kit.

But Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram said newspapers had made "lurid accusations without so much as seeking the view of the department".