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28 Feb 2005 : Column 961W—continued
Interrogation Techniques
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the UK Government has carried out a comparative analysis of the interrogation techniques used by UK forces in South Eastern Iraq and US forces at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay. [205681]
Mr. Ingram:
Although we have considered reports of the United States interrogation techniques as part of our approach to prisoner transfer arrangements, no comprehensive comparison has been undertaken.
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Iraq
Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the longest period of time that a (a) man and (b) woman has been held in detention or imprisonment by British military forces in Iraq. [208743]
Mr. Ingram: The longest period of time that a male security internee has been held by the United Kingdom forces is 22 months, since April 2003. For part of this period UK security internees were held by US forces at Camp Bucca. Since December 2003. all UK internees have been held at the UK-run Divisional Temporary Detention Facility.
Records indicate that the only female security internee held at the DTDF by UK forces was in custodyfor three months, between November 2003 and February 2004.
The only people currently in UK custody are security internees. The UK does not hold any criminal detainees or other categories of prisoners.
Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) men and (b) women have been released from detention or prison in Iraq by British military forces since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. [208748]
Mr. Ingram: As at 21 February 2005, 400 male security internees and one female security internee have been released from the UK's Divisional Temporary Detention Facility (DTDF) at Shaibah Logistics Base in Southern Iraq. This does not include several thousand Prisoners of War released in April and May 2003.
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Iraqis killed in respect of whom UK military personnel are subject to investigation but where charges have not yet been brought; and if he will make a statement. [211403]
Mr. Ingram: There are 21 Iraqi deaths for which the United Kingdom military personnel are under investigation, excluding those cases which have already been directed for trial. The names of the 21 are:
In addition there are 12 cases under investigation where UK forces returned fire after being attacked and believe that one or more unknown Iraqis may have been killed.
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Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on troop deployments in Iraq. [214110]
Mr. Ingram: There are currently approximately 9,200 UK service personnel deployed on Operation TELIC, of which 7,900 are currently serving in Iraq. The figure includes 220 additional personnel deployed from 1 February 2005 in order to provide logistics and other essential support following the expected Dutch withdrawal from Al Muthanna province in March 2005. Approximately 70 of these personnel will return to the UK in March.
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has made for permanent military bases and posts in Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [218826]
Mr. Ingram: There are no plans for any permanent UK military bases in Iraq.
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many deaths there have been in custody in Iraq (a) under UK forces control and (b) under US forces control; how many individuals taken into custody in Iraq have been moved outside the country by (i) UK forces and (ii) US forces; how many complaints alleging maltreatment of individuals taken into custody in Iraq have been made against (A) UK forces and (B) US forces; and if he will make a statement. [206717]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 10 January 2005]: The service police have investigated seven incidences where individuals have died while in the custody of UK forces in Iraq. Three deaths occurred during detention at a UK facility, three occurred during operations shortly after the individuals were taken into custody, but before they had been formally detained, and one occurred during the transfer of a detainee on an aircraft. No individuals taken into custody by UK forces have been removed from Iraq. We have recorded 14 formal complaints made by detainees about their treatment after being taken into custody by the UK armed forces. All 14 have been investigated by the service police. We do not hold this information for US forces.
Kosovo
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to the UK was of military action in Kosovo. [217431]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 24 February 2005]: The Ministry of Defence identifies the costs of operations in terms of the net additional costs it has incurred.
Additional costs incurred for Kosovo are as follows:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 1998–99 | 13.9 |
| 1999–2000 | 325.2 |
| 2000–01 | 220 |
| 2001–02 | 141.9 |
| 2002–03 | 87 |
| Total | 788 |
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From 2003–04 operations in Kosovo and Bosnia were merged into a joint Balkans operation for which costs are gathered centrally. The cost for the Balkan Operation (Kosovo/Bosnia) for 2003–04 was £103.6 million.
Figures for 2004–05 will be published in the MOD's Annual Report and Accounts for 2004–05 in the autumn.
Nepal
Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to review the provision by his Department of military assistance and training to the Government of Nepal following King Gyanendra's abolition of democracy in the country; and if he will make a statement. [215938]
Mr. Ingram: Her Majesty's Government are extremely concerned by the recent events in Nepal and by the actions of the King there. We are monitoring the situation as it develops and working closely with interested countries such as India and the US to achieve a co-ordinated international response. As announced on 21 February, we have suspended plans to deliver to Nepal a package of non-lethal military equipment. We are also keeping under review other aspects of our policy with regard to Nepal, including the issue of military training.
Northern Ireland
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what figures the Government uses as representing the total number of service personnel who have died in the troubles in Northern Ireland (a) on active duty, (b) through suicide and (c) through accidents. [216410]
Mr. Caplin: The Ministry of Defence does not hold centrally compiled data covering deaths that occurred before 1984 as information on them is known to be unreliable.
During the period 1 January 1984 and 31 December 2004, there were a total of 228 deaths of regular service personnel in Northern Ireland. Of these, 132 occurred on-duty and 49 occurred off-duty. The duty status of 47 personnel cannot be readily identified.
The term active service" has various meanings in different contexts. However, the Service Discipline Act contains a specific definition for the purposes of that legislation. In order to avoid a more restrictive interpretation than may be intended by the question, the above figure is based on all deaths that have occurred on-duty.
Forty-five of the 228 deaths were suicide or open verdict deaths, a further 86 of the 228 deaths were due to accidents. Some of the suicide and open verdict deaths, and deaths due to accidents occurred on duty and some occurred off duty. There are currently five deaths that are awaiting a coroner's verdict.
In addition, between 1 January 1984 and 31 December 2004, there were 32 deaths among non-regular service personnel (TA, Royal Irish Regiments 3–9, NRPS, Reserve) in Northern Ireland. Of these, 10 were due to suicide and open verdicts. Information on the cause of the remaining 22 has not been centrally compiled.
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