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Mr. Keith Simpson (Mid-Norfolk) (Con): Can the Minister confirm one thing? He stated categorically that the photographs were effectively fakes. Nevertheless, it was intimated by the Daily Mirror that they could be a re-enactment. [Interruption.] I am trying to be helpful
 
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so that the Minister can clarify whether there is investigation into whether or not there was a re-enactment.

Mr. Ingram: I shall come on in more detail to the way in which we can progress the investigation.

Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab): If, as the Minister says, the photographs were re-enactions or faked, is not the shocking thing that they seem to suggest that there has been systematic abuse? Nobody has yet advanced any evidence of systematic abuse by British soldiers of any kind.

Mr. Ingram: My hon. Friend makes a good point. They may not have advanced any evidence, but I am sure that he appreciates that some people have inferred that systematic abuse has taken place. Unquestionably, that is not the case. There is no question but that we are dealing with individual incidents, all of which are under investigation. If any new incidents come to light they will be subject to the same intense investigation.

The special investigation branch's priority continues to be identifying the individuals referred to by the Daily Mirror as soldiers A and B. When breaking the story on 1 May, the Daily Mirror claimed that those soldiers had witnessed mistreatment of prisoners in Iraq. Indeed, it even said that one of them took part in such mistreatment. We have consistently said that allegations will be investigated and that, if justified, appropriate action will be taken. There has been an extensive and intensive operation by the RMP in respect of the Daily Mirror's claims involving many investigators. SIB resources inevitably have had to be diverted from other tasks.

Mr. David Borrow (South Ribble) (Lab): It is reported that the Daily Mirror is co-operating fully with the Ministry of Defence. As part of that full co-operation has it given details of names, places and times in the incidents that form the basis of the allegations? Can my right hon. Friend tell us how much officer time been wasted on that wild goose chase?

Mr. Ingram: That is a very good question, and I hope that the Daily Mirror can see its sense. No, it has not co-operated to the extent that my hon. Friend suggested. The investigation has not yet been completed and a substantial amount of officer time has been allocated to it. Because of the nature of the public controversy and the scrutiny involved we have had to put considerable resources into it, diverting essential resources from elsewhere.

Dr. Howard Stoate (Dartford) (Lab): Given that the photographs appear to be fakes, can my right hon. Friend quantify the extra risk at which they put our service personnel? Fraudulent photographs in the newspapers must cause significant extra risk to the brave men and women who are serving our country in Iraq.

Mr. Ingram: That is another very good point. It was a matter to which I referred in my statement to the House on 4 May. Investigating officers in Iraq are conducting their investigations in a sometimes
 
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extremely dangerous environment, and we are putting those officers at risk, as well as others. I want to deal with the impact of the photographs.

Mr. Prentice: Will my right hon. Friend finally allow me?

Mr. Ingram: If my hon. Friend would let me finish a sentence and deal with the issues—I understand that he may want to defend the good name of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, and I am happy to allow him to do so.

Mr. Prentice: I am grateful to my right hon. Friend. My question is a simple one. I have always believed that the photographs were fakes. What redress does the Queen's Lancashire Regiment have, because Piers Morgan has traduced its good name? Can the QLR sue the Daily Mirror for the fake photographs?

Mr. Ingram: I recognise my hon. Friend's concern for the good name of the QLR and I hope his concern extends across Her Majesty's armed forces. We need to see the end of the process before people judge what legal action they can take. It is not for me to direct them, but I fully appreciate how angry the officers and men and women of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, and their extended families across the country, are about the allegations.

The priority is to get to the bottom of the allegations and, if wrongdoing has occurred, to take appropriate action. That is why I call again on the editor of the Daily Mirror to assist fully in the inquiry. From the start of this episode the Daily Mirror has demanded that the MOD and the Army operate under the highest standards of honesty, openness and professionalism. I challenge the Daily Mirror to do the same.

It is appropriate that we should debate these matters today, because they bear directly on the morale and, indeed, on the safety of the men and women—regulars, reserves and civilians—whom we ask to perform difficult and dangerous work: men such as the crew of a Warrior armoured vehicle from the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment who, only few days ago, were injured by a petrol bomb thrown through the commander's hatch. Their assailants were children, so the crew did not respond to the attack.

Two days before that, in al-Amarah, the same regiment did not return fire against militiamen who were cynically making use of women and children as cover. Two days before that, a grenade was thrown at a UK patrol boat in Basra. The assailant was seen, but the Royal Engineers used no force owing to the presence of civilians. Those are only three examples of the sensitivity, forbearance, skill, self-restraint and courage shown by our armed forces in the conduct of their duties, and we would be right to think that such examples occur every day.

Let us consider the scale of the shadow cast over the QLR by the present furore. The hon. Members who have raised the good name of the regiment have every right to do so. I take the opportunity to compliment the regiment's considerable contribution during its tour of duty last year in Iraq. Members of the regiment helped to pacify Basra during an undoubtedly turbulent
 
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summer. It is in no small measure due to their efforts and the efforts of others that progress continues to be made in Iraq.

Iraq now has almost 80,000 Iraqi police. More than 20,000 reconstruction projects have been completed—mostly by Iraqi companies employing Iraqi workers—and that is helping to get the economy going. The capacity of Iraqi ministries is building fast and many have been passed formally to Iraqi control. After years of neglect, Iraq's infrastructure is slowly modernising, with bridges, pylons, railways and water pipelines appearing across the country. British forces are playing a full part in the reconstruction effort. They have been involved in 2,700 projects. Their efforts will help ensure that by the end of the summer the quality and volume of water in Basra will surpass pre-war levels, and the production of electricity in the south-east will have greatly increased.

Mr. Gordon Marsden (Blackpool, South) (Lab): Does my right hon. Friend agree that the catalogue of activities and achievements that he is giving is not a flash in the pan, but builds on what British troops have done over the past 10 years in other peacekeeping operations? Does that not strengthen the argument that the current allegations are far more likely to come as a result of isolated incidents than as a result of a failure to understand the necessary process of peacekeeping in countries such as Iraq?

Mr. Ingram: I agree entirely. That is why the British armed forces are renowned for all they do. I was in Afghanistan a few weeks ago. Everywhere I went, I heard only good words about the work being done in that country by a very small number of British armed forces personnel, and I heard it from senior officers from other countries and from Afghans themselves. That is mirrored in the Balkans, in Kosovo and wherever else our people serve.

Mr. George Osborne (Tatton) (Con): The Minister was speaking about the progress in Iraq. When sovereignty is handed over on 30 June, will the new Iraqi Government have exclusive responsibility for Iraqi detainees, for whatever reason they are picked up?

Mr. Ingram: Those matters are under consideration as part of the ongoing process at the United Nations to work out what the framework of law and structure will be following that date. It is a matter that has still to be fully determined, together with the circumstances under which it would occur. The hon. Gentleman should wait to see what emerges. If he wants to pass judgement thereafter, he may do so.

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