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26 May 2004 : Column 1632W—continued

Coalition Provisional Authority

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements are in place for (a) information sharing and (b) joint decisions between Paul Bremer and his American staff at the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) and the United Kingdom representation in the CPA. [173346]

Mr. Straw: Formally Ambassador Bremer, the Administrator, is responsible for all CPA decisions. There is close daily contact and regular consultation, however, between the American and British staff at the CPA and the Office of the United Kingdom Special Representative.

Colombia

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 18 May 2004, Official Report, column 872W, on Colombia, if he will list the projects (a) currently run by the Child Protection Alliance in the Gambia and (b) run by the Child Protection Alliance in the Gambia in the last three years; what funding was provided by his Department through the High Commission in Banjul in each case; and if he will make a statement. [175524]

Mr. Mullin: Since the Child Protection Alliance (CPA) was founded in 2001 it has undertaken the following projects, some of which are still continuing:


 
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Over the last three years the British High Commission in Banjul has provided a total of £3,465 to fund a capacity building project, information campaign on child protection issues, and an assessment of member organisations.

EU Constitution

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he expects the changes made to the draft Constitutional Treaty to give the Commission strategic control over oil supplies; how he interprets strategic control in this context; and what he estimates the effect will be on the British oil industry. [174948]

Mr. MacShane: The Government was content with the amendments to the Energy Chapter (Article III. 157) put forward by the Italian Presidency in document CIG 60/04 ADD 1 (published on 9 December and placed in the Library of the House). These made it clear that the member states retained the right to choose how to exploit their natural resources and to ensure security of supply during emergencies. The Irish Presidency's latest package of amendments (in document CIG 76/04 published on 13 May and placed in the Library of the House) proposed the deletion of the Energy Chapter and removed energy from the list of shared competences in the draft Constitutional Treaty. The Government are also content with this approach which would reflect the position in the existing Treaties.

Ferry Accident (West Africa)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution the Government is providing to the search for the ferry stranded off the West African coast since 18 May carrying Liberian refugees from Nigeria and Ghana; and if he will make a statement. [175499]


 
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Mr. Mullin: None. The French navy rescued the stranded ship 'Dona Elvira', 250 kms off the Ivorian coast on 20 May. The ship contained over 300 returning Liberian refugees who are now in the care of the UN High Commission for Refugees.

Guantanamo Bay

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in the United States concerning the disapplication of the Geneva Convention in respect of the detainees held in Guantanamo Bay. [173004]

Mr. Mullin: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has regular contact with his US counterpart on a wide range of issues, including Guantanamo Bay.

The focus of the Government's discussions with the US authorities about Guantanamo Bay has been on how to resolve the position of the British nationals held there, as well as their welfare.

The Government's position is that the British detainees should either be tried fairly in accordance with international law or they should be returned to the UK. Our hope, however, is that the issues we have raised will be reflected in the treatment of other countries' nationals detained at Guantanamo Bay too.

We have made very clear to the US that the British detainees at Guantanamo Bay are entitled to be treated humanely. British officials have visited Guantanamo Bay on seven occasions to check on the welfare of the British detainees, most recently in March. We have raised any concerns we might have about their welfare with the US authorities.

Iraq

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who within the Iraqi Coalition Provisional Authority has responsibility to monitor and ensure that Geneva Convention requirements are met by coalition forces; how often such monitoring is conducted; and to whom the individual or individuals report their findings. [173451]

Mr. Straw: The Coalition Provisional Authority itself is not responsible for monitoring the application of the Geneva Conventions. Instead, it is coalition military commanders in theatre who are responsible for ensuring that the requirements of the Geneva Conventions are met.

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of the oral and written concerns made by the International Committee of the Red Cross Coalition forces during 2003 were received by his Department; and what action was taken. [173201]

Mr. Straw: Throughout 2003, once it was clear that there was a possibility of UK troops becoming involved in Iraq, there were regular and co-operative discussions between Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Ministers and officials and the ICRC on Iraq.
 
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During these meetings, the ICRC briefed on the general humanitarian situation in Iraq and reminded us of our international humanitarian law obligations concerning detainees. Our records do not indicate that any specific oral or written concerns about coalition forces were passed to the FCO in 2003. As is standard practice, they would have been passed in the first instance to the authorities directly responsible for the treatment of detainees. I have no reason to doubt that the UK military authorities responsible for detainees in Iraq took appropriate action in response to any ICRC concerns. As my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Mr. Ingram) made clear in the House on 13 May, HMG co-operates fully with the ICRC. It is offered full access to the detention facilities that we operate and each concern that it brings to our attention is treated very seriously and investigated fully.

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he was informed that the International Committee of the Red Cross report of February 2004 had been received by his Department; and when he asked to see it. [173220]

Mr. Straw: As I said in the House on 11 May, I was made aware of the ICRC report during the weekend of 8–9 May 2004.

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action has been taken by the Coalition Provisional Authority to investigate the allegations of brutality and illegality by Iraqi police, contained in the International Committee of the Red Cross report of February 2004. [173221]

Mr. Straw: As part of its responsibilities the Coalition Provisional Authority created within the Iraqi Ministry of Interior an internal affairs department that is tasked with leading on all such investigations. A team of international police advisers supports and monitors the progress and work of this department.

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the United States Secretary of State, Mr.Colin Powell, concerning the International Committee of the Red Cross report of February 2004. [173222]

Mr. Straw: I have regular discussions with Secretary Powell during which a wide variety of issues concerning Iraq are discussed. It is not our practice to make public the detail of those discussions under exemption 1 (b) of Part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government information.

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions took place, upon receipt of the International Committee of the Red Cross report of February 2004, between British and US officials of the Coalition Provisional Authority. [173244]

Mr. Straw: British officials attended a meeting between Ambassador Bremer and the ICRC on 26 February at which the ICRC report was handed to Ambassador Bremer. Follow-up discussions with US officials confirmed the previous US announcement that the US military investigation had begun as soon as the allegations about mistreatment at Abu Ghraib were brought to light in January.
 
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Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason Sir Jeremy Greenstock's Office did not immediately forward to his Department the International Committee of the Red Cross report of February on receipt. [173264]

Mr. Straw: The ICRC report was formally presented to the Coalition Provisional Authority Administrator in Baghdad by a representative of the ICRC at a meeting on 26 February. UK officials attended. A report of the meeting was sent to London by telegram within 24 hours. A copy of the report had already been passed to Permanent Joint Headquarters. The Office of the UK Special Representative was assured that investigations had already been launched into allegations involving US forces. The office sought and received confirmation that allegations involving misconduct by UK forces were also already under investigation.

Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) instruction and (b) guidance his (i) officials and (ii) Ministers were following prior to the decision not to make the February International Committee of the Red Cross report available to him as soon as it became available to his Department. [173572]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 19 May 2004]: Ministers and officials follow standard procedures to ensure that the UK's obligations under international law are fully respected. As has been made clear, action was already in hand on the allegations concerning UK forces.

Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) written and (b) oral briefing was provided by officials in his Department to inform (i) him and (ii) his Ministers of the contents of the International Committee of the Red Cross report and actions taken (A) as a result of officials having read the report and (B) prior to the full report being made available to him. [173575]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 19 May 2004]: Officials in Baghdad took appropriate action as soon as the report was received in February to pass it back to Permanent Joint Head Quarters for confirmation that action on all those areas concerning UK forces was already in hand. Officials in Baghdad were also assured that investigations had already been launched into allegations involving US forces.

My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs was made aware of the report (though not given a copy) at a meeting in Geneva on 18 March with Dr. Kellenberger, President of the ICRC. On his return to London, Mr. Rammell discussed the concerns raised by Dr. Kellenberger with officials, and was satisfied that action was in hand to deal with the allegations concerning UK troops. I became aware of the ICRC report on the weekend of 8–9 May.

My noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, Minister of State at the FCO, was briefed in general terms on detainee issues on 27 April in advance of taking a question in the House of Lords on the Amnesty International report "Iraq: One Year On". The ICRC was not covered.
 
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Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which member of the Government was first informed of the International Committee of the Red Cross Report on the treatment by coalition forces of prisoners of war in Iraq and its contents; and when this was. [173424]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 17 May 2004]: I understand that my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, was the first Minister to be made aware of the report which as he has already made clear was in February. My right hon. Friend had already been aware for some months of two substantive issues raised in respect of UK forces, and of the action taken.

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his oral answers of 11 May 2004, on Iraq, when the International Committee of the Red Cross Report was received at the Foreign Office; and what action was taken. [173426]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 17 May 2004]: A copy of the ICRC report was obtained by a Foreign and Commonwealth Office official during a visit to Baghdad on 19 March. It was not marked for Ministers' attention as MOD action was already in hand on the allegations concerning UK forces.

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his letter placed in the Library on 11 May concerning the handling of the International Committee of the Red Cross report and the telegram sent to London by the office of the UK Special Representative for Iraq on 27 February, which office received the telegram; to which Department and to which Ministers and senior officials the telegram was subsequently distributed; and when the telegram was distributed. [173677]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 18 May 2004]: According to records in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Communications Centre the telegram referred to was received on 27 February 2004 in the FCO and other relevant Government Departments. Records indicate that it was distributed at official level to private offices. It was not marked for ministerial attention. Action was already in hand on the allegations concerning UK forces.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) his United States counterpart and (b) the United States Secretary of Defence in respect of the use by the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq of private contractors to (i) conduct interviews and (ii) otherwise manage detainees. [174013]

Mr. Straw: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Tooting (Tom Cox) today (UIN 173074).

Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether funds generated from oil assets in Iraq are ring-fenced for that country's domestic use; and if he will make a statement. [174018]

Mr. Rammell: United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1483 of 22 May 2003 decided that all proceeds from sale of Iraq's oil should go into the
 
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Development Fund for Iraq to meet the needs of the Iraqi people and the costs of economic reconstruction and civilian administration.

UNSCR 1483 also decided that Iraq's oil wealth should be ring-fenced from external attachment and legal proceedings and calls upon member states to take all necessary steps to assure this protection.

The only exception to this is that 5 per cent. of proceeds from oil should be deposited in the United Nations Compensation Fund for Kuwait established in accordance with UNSCR 687 of 1991 and subsequent relevant resolutions. As outlined in UNSCR 1483 this latter requirement will be binding on an internationally recognised sovereign government of Iraq unless that government and the Governing Council of the United Nations Compensation Commission decide otherwise.

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 11 May 2004, Official Report, column 199W, on Iraq, how many Iraqis are being consulted through the process being led by UN Special Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi; and what the UK Government's policy is on his recommendations on (a) the structure and personnel of the Interim Government and (b) the best method of selecting delegates to the planned National Conference. [174103]

Mr. Rammell: The UN Secretary General Adviser on Iraq, Lakhdar Brahimi continues to consult a large number of Iraqis in Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq in his efforts to help forge Iraqi consensus on the formation of the Interim Government. We warmly welcome Brahimi's initial proposals and look forward to Iraqi agreement on the way forward by the end of May.

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from what source of funds the money for bounties for the capture of wanted individuals in Iraq comes; and if he will make a statement. [174189]

Mr. Rammell: Her Majesty's Government does not offer bounties for the capture of wanted individuals in Iraq.

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) between what dates the September 2002 source upon which the Government based its claim that Iraq sought to procure uranium from Africa indicated that the attempted procurement took place; [175478]

(2) whether the documentary evidence reported in June 2002, referred to in Paragraph 89 of the Intelligence and Security Committee report, Cm 5972, upon which the Government did not rely to back up its claim that Iraq sought to procure uranium from Africa, was found to be (a) forged and (b) the same as any of the documents described as forged by the International Atomic Energy Agency on 7 March 2003; [175493]

(3) whether the Government have established the origin and history of the documents referred to as still under consideration in Paragraph 4 of the Further Supplementary Memorandum from the Foreign and
 
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Commonwealth Office, Iraqi Attempts To Procure Uranium, of July 2003, Written Evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee, Ninth Report, HC 813-II. [175494]

Mr. MacShane: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave on 6 May 2004, Official Report, column 1733W.

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Intelligence and Security Committee (a) requested and (b) saw the intelligence (i) upon which the Government based its claim that Iraq sought to procure uranium from Africa and (ii) considered by the International Atomic Energy Agency to be forged which was released to the Secret Intelligence Service by the third party in question and referred to in paragraph 92 of the ISC report, Cm 5972. [175479]

Mr. MacShane: I have nothing to add to the Intelligence and Security Committee's account of their inquiry into this matter, given in paragraphs 87–93 of their report (Cmnd 5972).

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