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Mr. Hoon: There is significant British representation at that meeting at a very high level.

Mrs. Anne Campbell (Cambridge) (Lab): Will my right hon. Friend explain why he is considering deploying additional British reserve troops when it is American forces that are under pressure? Will not the people of this country realise that this is political expediency with a large P?

Mr. Hoon: I do not accept that, and I believe that I have answered that question several times already. There is a clear operational reason for conducting the operation to remove the terrorist threat in places such as Falluja. The Americans have made a request of an ally to assist. We shall consider that request very carefully in the next few days.
 
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Sir Robert Smith (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): In answer to an earlier question, the Secretary of State accepted that our forces are so professional and well trained that they will rise to any challenge that is asked of them. Surely, therefore, their political masters have to be that much more responsible and careful about what challenges they ask them to rise to. To that end, what assessment has the right hon. Gentleman made of the overstretch in the US forces such that they cannot find the 600 troops from their own resources?

Mr. Hoon: The hon. Gentleman is right that a careful assessment is required. That assessment will be conducted, but it does not include a detailed assessment of whether the United States is right to make the request. An ally has made a request. It is necessary that we consider it carefully.

Tony Lloyd (Manchester, Central) (Lab): My right hon. Friend has been at pains to say that our troops will not be committed in, for example, attacks on Falluja or direct action against terrorists. However, he has failed to say what precisely British troops will be required to do that cannot be done by the many American troops already present. That is particularly important given the fact that if British troops are deployed into the American zone, gaps will be created in the British zone.

Mr. Hoon: The specific reason is to free American forces to conduct extra operations in places such as Falluja where terrorists are well established and are attacking both coalition forces and innocent Iraqi civilians. We have been asked to fill in in the areas left by the American forces who will be engaged in such operations.

Mr. David Tredinnick (Bosworth) (Con): If we start to serve in the American sector, what input in the decision-making process will British commanders on the ground have? What will the relationship with their American counterparts be? What discretion, if any, will they have? Does he not agree that his defence of the morale of the Black Watch is a vindication of the regimental system, which he has pledged to destroy?

Mr. Hoon: Let us just deal with the point about the regimental system. Opposition Members have had an entertaining time in their local and, indeed, national newspapers talking about attacks on that system, but there is no such attack. There will still be a regimental system, and I am sure that if the hon. Gentleman reads more carefully the statement that I made to the House and the material that has been published, he will accept that that is the case. That demonstrates the importance of studying the Government's proposals carefully.

Mike Gapes (Ilford, South) (Lab/Co-op): Is there not a danger of exaggerating the political significance in the United States of any decision that we take? Is it not a fact that the woeful economic performance of the Bush Administration and Democrats' anger at what happened four years ago are more likely to decide the outcome of the election than any simple decision made in the House? Will my right hon. Friend assure me that whatever decision we make will be made in the light of
 
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sending a clear message to the Iraqi people that we will not desert them and will see things through to next year to help them in their elections?

Mr. Hoon: I suspect that there might be as much danger in answering the first part of my hon. Friend's question as there was in less friendly questions earlier today. It is important, however, that we consider the future of Iraq and make the decisions required to allow it to hold elections in January. That is what this is about.

Mr. Desmond Swayne (New Forest, West) (Con): My interest is in the register.

The Secretary of State rightly spoke about the robust rules of engagement. I am inclined to support the deployment, but I have a reservation. Perhaps he can reassure me by telling me that he shares my anger and indignation that a soldier carrying out his mission in Iraq can be cleared of wrongdoing by his commanding officer and yet be arraigned at the Old Bailey? That is an outrage.

Mr. Hoon: That is a matter for the courts. The hon. Gentleman knows better than I do that it is best left to the legal authorities. It is not a matter for Ministers to comment on or, indeed—[Interruption.]

Mr. Speaker: Order. May I tell the hon. Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Soames) that the Front Bench has had its turn, and he must be quiet?

Mr. Hoon: I was hoping that the hon. Member for New Forest, West (Mr. Swayne) would refer to his excellent work in co-ordinating our efforts with Italian forces, which was a valuable illustration of the importance of coalition activity. The House, and the Government in particular, are extremely grateful to him for the way in which he promoted good alliances with our coalition counterparts.

Alan Simpson (Nottingham, South) (Lab): I know that the Secretary of State said that no decision has been made about the request, but given his answer to the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Dr. Tonge), I was reminded of a line from a song in the musical "Oklahoma":

"I'm jist a girl who cain't say no".

Can he tell the House of any occasion when a request from our American allies was turned down? If not, would he as Secretary of State place any limits on the deployment of British troops in out-of-area activities at the request of the Bush Administration?

Mr. Hoon: "Oklahoma" was a bit before my time.

Mr. Skinner : The actress's name was Gloria Grahame—an American.

Mr. Hoon: I am getting help with the participants; but I do not accept the assertion of my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, South (Alan Simpson). It is important to concentrate on the operational nature of the deployment and recognise that it is in the interests of the Iraqi people.

Hugh Robertson (Faversham and Mid-Kent) (Con): Both the report by the Iraq survey group and the initial
 
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report by the Volcker inquiry highlighted the extent of corruption at the United Nations during the oil-for-food programme and its effect on the insurgency in Iraq. Given that Saddam Hussein and his entourage personally benefited to the tune of $10 billion, what effect is that having on the current insurgency, particularly in the Sunni areas, where our forces may be deployed?

Mr. Hoon: The hon. Gentleman raises an extremely important issue. There is no doubt that some people who are continuing to fight are fighting for the restoration not of Saddam's regime in particular, but of the privileges and money that they enjoyed as a result of the corruption that existed during his time in office. There is no doubt that many of those people benefited significantly and are using some of those funds to buy weapons to kill not only members of the coalition, but Iraqis.

Rob Marris (Wolverhampton, South-West) (Lab): I salute the work of our troops in Iraq, but urge my right hon. Friend to treat the request with great circumspection for fear of putting them in greater danger. Can he explain how it is that, as he has repeatedly said, he is considering a request from the United States of America, when in theory earlier this year sovereignty was transferred in Iraq? Has there been any request from the Iraqi Government? Will he explain the command structure in that relationship?

Mr. Hoon: The request is from a fellow member of the multi-national force. We are there at the behest, and with the consent of, the Iraqi Interim Government and, as I indicated earlier, should there be any operations against Falluja, or any other place in Iraq, they will take place only with the agreement of the Interim Government.

Mr. Mark Francois (Rayleigh) (Con): The whole House will be conscious that the Secretary of State bears a heavy responsibility. Discharging that responsibility a little while ago, he said in response to a question that we would fail to support an ally if we were to turn down this request. How can he have come to so concrete a conclusion if, as he has claimed repeatedly this afternoon, no decision has yet been taken?

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