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Investment Promotion Activities

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the investment promotion activities of United Kingdom officials in (a) Sudan and (b) Iraq. [175792]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: It is not UK Trade and Investment's role to promote investment in overseas countries. We are happy to support UK companies who have taken a commercial decision to invest overseas. As such, UK Trade and Investment offers general advice and information to UK companies wishing to trade with or invest in Sudan and Iraq.

A small commercial section operates from the British embassy in Khartoum, headed by the Deputy Head of Mission and supported by two local staff. The section works to identify opportunities for British goods and services in the Sudanese market and to provide sales leads to UK companies. The interest shown by UK companies in Sudan is low, due in part to the continuing uncertainty over the security situation in the country.

On Iraq, UK Trade and Investment has arranged a number of events in London and in the region, aimed at explaining the modalities of doing business in Iraq and bidding for reconstruction contracts. The commercial section of the British Office in Baghdad can provide information on request to UK companies.

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at what meetings between United Kingdom Government officials and United Kingdom companies in the last 12 months investment in (a) Sudan and (b) Zimbabwe was discussed; and what the (i) names of the officials concerned and (ii) nature of the discussions was in each case. [175831]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: UK Trade and Investment through its offices in the UK and overseas Posts in Khartoum and Harare provide general advice and information to companies wishing to establish or expand trade or investment links with Sudan and Zimbabwe. This is usually done on a responsive basis. We do not maintain details of all meetings at which such issues are discussed and to collate this information would incur disproportionate costs.
 
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Iran

Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Iranians of the Bahá'i faith have (a) applied for visas to visit the UK, (b) been granted visas to visit the UK and (c) applied for asylum on arrival in the UK following the granting of a visitors' visa in each year from 1998. [176621]

Mr. Mullin: Entry clearance applicants are not asked to record their religion as part of the application process. UKvisas does not therefore hold figures for the number of Iranians of the Baha'i faith who have applied or been granted visas to visit the UK. Data on the specific religion of asylum seekers are not recorded and collated centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to member states of the European Union in relation to the treatment by Iran of the Bahá'is and other religious minorities; and if he will make a statement. [176656]

Mr. Rammell: Ministers and officials regularly discuss the human rights situation in Iran with EU colleagues. EU partners share our serious concerns about restrictions on religious freedom and the persecution of religious minorities. The EU has raised these concerns with the Iranian authorities on many occasions, including through the EU/Iran human rights dialogue.

The situation of the Bahá'i community in Iran is of particular concern. The Bahá'is are not among the religious minorities recognised by Iran's constitution. The EU has made representations to the Iranian Government about the persecution of Bahá'is, most recently concerning the demolition of a Bahá'i shrine at Babol. The UK and most European countries co-sponsored a resolution on human rights in Iran at the United Nations General Assembly in December which expressed serious concern at the treatment of religious minorities, including the Bahá'is.

Iraq

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17 May 2004, Official Report, columns 748–49W, on Iraq, with whom the Coalition Provisional Authority liaised to ensure section 20 of memorandum No. 2 (CPA/ORD/30th May 2003/09) was met in all Iraqi prisons, including those under military control. [175771]

Mr. Rammell: The CPA liaised, and continues to liaise, with the Iraqi Corrections Service and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17 May 2004, Official Report, columns 748–49W, on Iraq, how often and by whom section 21 of the Coalition Provisional Authority memorandum No. 2 on management of detention and prison facilities (CPA/ORD/30th May 2003/09) has been exercised. [175775]

 
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Mr. Rammell: Institutions have been inspected on a regular and on-going basis by senior officials of the Iraqi Corrections Service (ICS) and by experienced advisors working with the CPA's Senior Adviser for Prisons. However, the security situation in Iraq has limited inspections of ICS facilities, particularly outside the Baghdad region.

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on what will constitute the sovereignty to be transferred from the Coalition Provisional Authority to the Iraqi Governing Council on 30 June. [175776]

Mr. Rammell: The Iraqi Interim Government will be sovereign and will assume full authority for governing Iraq by 30 June.

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the security situation in Iraq. [172296]

Mr. Mullin: The security situation is stable in much of Iraq; however, in parts of the south, supporters of Muqtada al Sadr have continued to clash with the Multinational Force. His illegal militia have been intimidating the local population of several cities, illegally occupying public buildings and attacking Iraqi civilians. Multinational Forces have sought to avoid a military escalation both in the south and in Fallujah, and we are hoping that current efforts by Iraqis to reach peaceful solutions will be successful.

We have also seen continued desperate terrorist attacks on leading members of the Iraqi Governing Council in an attempt to derail the political process. As the transitional period approaches we can expect more attacks by those who oppose a stable democratic Iraq. We continue to assist in building the capability of the Iraqi security forces to enable Iraqis to take full responsibility for law and order as early as possible.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further assessment he has made since his memorandum of February 2004 to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee of whether detention and treatment of prisoners by the United States in Iraq is in line with their obligations under international law. [173863]

Mr. Rammell: The US authorities have made clear since their announcement in January of the investigation into allegations of maltreatment of detainees in Abu Ghraib, their determination to investigate such allegations and to punish those found guilty of wrongdoing. The US military is implementing an action plan to improve the treatment of detainees in Iraq. UK Ministers, the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Human Rights in Iraq the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Ann Clwyd) and officials will continue to discuss with the US further measures which may need to be taken to bring all detention facilities in Iraq up to international standards.

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether a decision has been taken to hand over (a) Saddam Hussein and (b) other prominent members of the former regime in Iraq to the jurisdiction of the forthcoming Iraq administration; and if he will make a statement. [174266]

 
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Mr. Rammell: Detailed arrangements for the handling of transitional issues, including those raised by this question, are still under discussion. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.

Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date officials in his Department first became aware of allegations of abuse of Iraqi detainees by British Service personnel in Iraq; and from what source. [174393]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 19 May 2004]: Officials first became aware of allegations of abuse of Iraqi detainees by British Service personnel in Iraq in April 2003. The allegations against Colonel Tim Collins, which were widely publicised in the media, were investigated and it was found there was no case to answer.

Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date his Private Office received the telegram of 27 February from the office of the UK Special Representative in Iraq reporting on the meeting the previous day at which the International Committee of the Red Cross formally presented their report on the treatment of detainees in Iraq by the Coalition; on what date he himself was informed about the International Committee of the Red Cross report; and on what date he read it. [174594]

Mr. Rammell [holding answer 20 May 2004]: On the distribution of the telegram, I refer the right hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave to the right hon. Member for Devizes (Mr. Ancram) on 26 May 2004, Official Report, column 1637W. As the Foreign Secretary said in the House on 11 May 2004, Official Report, column 150, he was made aware of the ICRC report during the weekend of 8 and 9 May, and read it on 10 May.

Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates (a) officials and (b) Ministers in his Department first received copies of (i) the interim and (ii) the final International Committee of the Red Cross report on the treatment of detainees in Iraq by the Coalition. [174596]

Mr. Rammell [holding answer 20 May 2004]: The ICRC report of 10 February on "The Treatment by the Coalition Forces of Prisoners of War and Other Protected Persons by the Geneva Conventions in Iraq During Arrest, Internment and Interrogation" (which has been referred to as the interim report) was obtained by a Foreign and Commonwealth Office official on 19 March during a visit to Baghdad. It was not marked for Ministers' attention as MOD action was already in hand on the allegations concerning UK forces. Ministers received copies on 10 May after the report had been leaked to the media on 7 May. At the time the 10 February report was handed over, a further report for the UK Government was promised (which has been referred to as the final report). We expect to receive this some time after the ICRC visit this month to British detention facilities in Iraq.

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what records the Government have of the number of Iraqis (a) killed and (b) detained in Iraqi jails since the occupation of Iraq. [174854]

 
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Mr. Mullin: There is no reliable way of estimating civilian casualties in Iraq. For example, during an engagement, casualties are often taken away before UK forces can determine whether or not they have been fatally wounded. There may be other incidents not witnessed by, or reported to, UK forces. My right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary informed the House on 10 May 2004, Official Report, columns 21–24, that the MOD has begun a thorough trawl of unit records to establish the numbers of Iraqis killed in engagements with UK forces.

The following is the number of prisoners held in Iraqi jails in the UK sector of southern Iraq: Basra—487, Samawah—130, and Nasiriyah—175. We do not have statistics at present for the rest of Iraq although these are being collated by the US military.

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK citizens are employed in Iraq in (a) civilian and (b) military posts that involve advising or assisting in the operation of prisons under the control of the occupation powers. [175962]

Mr. Mullin: Eight UK citizens are employed in Iraq advising and assisting in the operation of Prisons—three are civilians and five are military.

The UK is responsible for administration of prisons within Multi National Division (SE). All other Iraqi prisons are administered by US personnel. In Coalition Provisional Authority (South), the UK oversees and maintains prisons run by the Iraqi Prison Service through a Prisons Section which comprises three staff—two prisons advisors and an administrator. All these staff mentor Iraqi prison management and officers in the local correctional facilities. In addition, three Military Provost staff are currently assisting with the implementation of a prisons inspection regime in the Southern Region. Additionally, two Territorial Army Officers who are UK Prison Service officers are involved in Security Sector Reform in the prisons. All other staff working in the Correctional Service are Iraqi locals.

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the US Administration about the recent air strike upon a small village on the Iraqi-Syrian border near Ramadi which resulted in the deaths of 40 people; and if he will make a statement. [176345]

Mr. Mullin: The office of the UK Special Representative for Iraq has liaised with the US authorities in Baghdad on this incident. We understand that a US military operation took place close to the Syrian border on 19 May based on intelligence and on a known route for smuggling in foreign fighters. Given the speculation that the attack resulted in civilian deaths the US Commander of the Multinational Force Iraq has ordered an investigation.

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the UK Government was aware between 1985 and the start of the Gulf War in 1991 that Iraq had a biological weapons programme . [176562]

 
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Mr. Mullin: No. The first definitive information on Iraq's biological weapons programme did not emerge until 1995 as a result of UN Special Commission inspections and the defection of Hussein Kamal.

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