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Iran

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written ministerial statement
 
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on the Shatt Al Arab incident, of 30 June 2004, Official Report, columns 12–13WS, whether ill-treatment, other than blindfolding, has been reported by British servicemen seized by the Iranian authorities. [182464]

Mr. Hoon: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written ministerial statement on the Shatt Al Arab incident, of 30 June 2004, Official Report, columns 12–13WS, what assessment he has made of the likelihood of determining the position of the three boats at the time of seizure if the global positioning equipment on board is not returned. [182467]

Mr. Hoon: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Iraq

Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British soldiers have been (a) killed and (b) injured in Iraq since the beginning of the conflict; and how many of these injuries were caused (i) by friendly fire, (ii) in accidents and (iii) in combat. [198095]

Mr. Hoon [holding answer 15 November 2004]: 74 British service personnel have died while deployed in Iraq. This includes 49 who have been killed in action, of which seven were the result of blue-on-blue incidents. The remaining 25 died from other causes, including accidents, natural causes and incidents which are still under investigation.

Prior to August 2004, we did not hold centrally figures for the total number of injuries sustained by service personnel, or the causes of those injuries. Minor injuries or illnesses suffered by personnel who were treated in theatre and then returned to duty were not recorded other than on individual service records. Since August 2004, 65 injuries have been sustained as a result of hostile action. Statistics are not collected for injuries sustained for other reasons.

Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the maximum possible blast radius is of bombs available for use by United Kingdom troops in Iraq. [199088]

Mr. Ingram: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what roles Iraqi troops are undertaking in Iraq. [199330]

Mr. Ingram: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will reply to the question, ref 148636, on sick pay in his Department, tabled by the hon. Member for Wycombe on 13 January 2004. [163710]

Mr. Caplin: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what papers he has submitted to Lord Butler's inquiry into intelligence on Iraq; and whether (a) officials and (b) Ministers have given oral evidence to the inquiry. [177068]

 
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Mr. Hoon: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress that the NATO Training Implementation Mission in Iraq has made in the training of Iraqi security forces (a) inside and (b) outside Iraq. [189375]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his reply of 14 September 2004, Official Report, column 1542W, whether the United Kingdom officer participated in the drafting of Combined Joint Task Force 7's counter-resistance and interrogation policy. [189797]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his reply of 14 September 2004, Official Report, column 1543W, whether Colonel Terrington and Colonel Campbell-James were second in command to Major General Barbara Fast. [189798]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether (a) Colonel Chris Terrington and (b) Colonel Campbell-James embedded within US military intelligence saw Interrogation and Counter-Resistance Policy documents produced by Combined Joint Task Force 7 (i) before and (ii) after it was issued. [189799]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when British service personnel first became aware of allegations of mistreatment of detainees at Abu Ghraib. [189801]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any British officer or official has been interviewed as part of the Taguba or Fay inquiries into detainee abuse. [189802]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 14 September 2004, Official Report, column 1542W, on Iraq, what specific tasks the United Kingdom officer referred to undertook as part of Colonel Warren's team. [189872]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 14 September 2004, Official Report, column 1542W, on Iraq, for how long the UK officer worked with Colonel Warren. [189875]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
 
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Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 14 September 2004, Official Report, column 1542W, on Iraq, if he will give the name and rank of the UK officer who worked with Colonel Warren. [189877]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with (a) his United States counterpart and (b) the Chief of British Defence Forces in Iraq in respect of the need (i) to protect Iraqi nuclear sites from looters and (ii) to stop components from Iraqi nuclear sites being removed illegally from Iraq. [191665]

Mr. Hoon: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Mr. Hogg: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions in each month since March 2003 British forces in Iraq (a) opened fire, (b) were fired upon and (c) were the subject of bomb attacks; how many casualties British forces (i) inflicted and (ii) sustained; and how many rounds of ammunition, including ammunition of a heavy calibre, British forces, including air units, expended in each month. [193164]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to the right hon. and learned Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his reply of 11 October 2004, Official Report, column 64W, on Iraq, whether Colonel Terrington was aware that the investigation was of a disciplinary nature involving the conduct of US troops. [193433]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his reply of 11 October 2004, Official Report, column 64W, on Iraq, whether Colonel Terrington discussed the investigation with LTC Jordan. [193434]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his reply of 11 October 2004, Official Report, column 64W, on Iraq, whom Colonel Terrington informed about the investigation; and on what dates. [193435]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his reply of 11 October 2004, Official Report, column 64W, on Iraq, when Colonel Terrington was made aware of the investigation; and by whom. [193436]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK service personnel have seen active service in Iraq since the beginning of hostilities; and how many have been issued with the aide memoire referred to in the answer to the hon. Member for Hull North (Mr. McNamara) on 4 October, Official Report, column 1879W. [194024]

 
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Mr. Ingram [holding answer 26 October 2004]: Around 87,000 service personnel were deployed in support of Operation Telic between 18 January 2003 and 31 August 2004. This figure includes sailors and airmen, many of whom were not directly involved in combat, around 54,500 soldiers were deployed during that time. During the first phase of Operation Telic from 18 January 2003 to 2 May 2003, which included the major combat operations, around 48,500 service personnel were deployed, of which around 29,000 were from the Army. A significant number of these would not have been directly involved in combat.

20,000 aide memoire cards were produced in the original print run between February and early March 2003. These were distributed as a priority to ground troops who were expected to be involved in combat, but were available to other units as well.

Since the end of the war-fighting phase of Operation Telic the responsibility for printing and distributing the cards has passed to individual units. Information on how many have been printed and distributed since the initial print run is not held centrally, and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Ministers were first provided with United States plans for the invasion of Iraq which contained references to P-day, A-day and G-day. [195303]

Mr. Hoon: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on UK troops liability to the Ottawa Treaty on landmines when acting (a) alone and (b) in association with US forces, with specific reference to Iraq. [198703]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his oral statement of 27 May, on Iraq, whether the Royal Military Police personnel assisting in training the Iraqi Police Service will assist in the training of the Iraqi Prison Service. [177503]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ask the US Administration to furnish him with information on the (a) numbers and (b) type of aerial attacks on Falluja between 1 and 15 November. [199135]

Mr. Hoon: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the recent reports in The Lancet concerning the number of civilians killed since the invasion of Iraq. [195981]

Mr. Mullin: I have been asked to reply.

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary issued a written statement on 17 November 2004, Official Report, columns 92–95WS, concerning the report in The Lancet.
 
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Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what definition of cause is used in assessing whether deaths and injuries of Iraqi civilians are caused by UK service personnel. [197345]

Mr. Hoon: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements will be put in place to protect refugees from the Fallujah area in the event of conflict there; how civilians will be distinguished from insurgents; what the role of the Black Watch will be in respect of (a) civilian refugees and (b) escaping insurgents; and if he will make a statement. [197378]

Mr. Hoon: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Coalition forces plan to keep a count of casualties arising from the possible conflict in the Falluja area of Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [197383]

Mr. Hoon: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many prisoners in British military custody have been transferred to US custody since September 2001, including those transferred under the auspices of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq; and what assurances about their rights and treatment were sought from the US authorities. [184549]

Mr. Ingram [holding reply 19 July 2004]: 341 Prisoners of War taken by United Kingdom forces in Iraq were handed over to the US in April 2003. All but three were subsequently released. The cases of the remaining three are being considered by the Central Criminal Court of Iraq. We have also detained around 2,000 security internees since the end of the conflict. Between April 2003 and December 2003, they were held by the US. All but one of those individuals were either returned to UK custody or released.

The UK Government takes its responsibilities to safeguard individuals taken into custody by UK forces very seriously. In March 2003, the UK and US Governments agreed a Memorandum of Understanding which contains mutual assurances on the treatment of all transferred persons in Iraq and confirms that such persons are entitled to the full protection of the Geneva Conventions.

During the period from April 2003 to December 2003, when large numbers of UK-held persons were in US custody at Camp Bucca, their treatment was monitored continuously by a UK Prisoner Monitoring Team and Prisoner of War Registration Unit. The UK team were not aware of any incidents of deliberate detainee mistreatment at the Camp.

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reports have been prepared on British-run military and civilian prisons in Iraq; how many have been sent to him; how many he has read and commented on; and if he will make a statement. [177240]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
 
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Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what requests were made by his Department to the Department for International Development for staff to assist with the planning for post-conflict Iraq; and what the response was in each case. [150221]

Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence and the Department for International Development staff have worked closely together at all levels since before the Iraq conflict on the range of post-conflict planning issues.

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what security clearance was given to civilians with expertise in infrastucture to enable them to attend military planning meetings, prior to the commencement of military operations in Iraq. [150224]

Mr. Ingram: All civilians involved in planning for Operation Telic possessed security clearances appropriate to their level of access to information.

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the statement of 7 January, Official Report, column 138WH, on post-war Iraq, if he will list each unit involved in incidents of alleged or possible fatalities, broken down by (a) the number of cases recorded and (b) the state of investigation; how long the investigation has taken in each case; and what the outcome was of each completed investigation. [171624]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations the Government has made to the US Administration about treatment of Iraqi prisoners. [172997]

Mr. Hoon: I will write to the right hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received about abuses of Iraqi prisoners at Umm Qasr prison; what part was played by UK armed forces, including interrogators; over what period these abuses took place; over what period UK forces were operating at the prison; when reports of abuses were (a) first and (b) subsequently communicated to UK personnel; how such reports of abuses at the prison were dealt with; how the political officer of the British Armed Forces dealt with this matter when it was reported to him on 1 April 2004; how his report on this was dealt with; when Ministers received (i) first and (ii) subsequent reports of abuse; and if he will make a statement. [173025]

Mr. Hoon: I will write to my hon Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cases being made by Iraqi men or women against British military forces serving in Iraq are of alleged (a) deaths, (b) physical abuse and (c) unacceptable behaviour; how many of these complaints (i) have been investigated and (ii) are still under investigation; and if he will make a statement. [173076]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
 
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Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what communications his Department has had with other Arab nations regarding the allegations of abuse of Iraqi prisoners. [173228]

Mr. Hoon: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what strategy his Department will use to deal with the anti-Coalition sentiment stemming from the allegations of abuses of Iraqi prisoners. [173229]

Mr. Hoon: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his statement in reply to the hon. Member for Mid-Sussex, of 10 May 2004, Official Report, column 27, what prompted ministerial instructions that investigations should take place. [173259]

Mr. Hoon: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates the International Committee of the Red Cross approached the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq regarding the treatment of prisoners of war by Coalition forces in Iraq. [173901]

Mr. Hoon: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

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