§ Lynne JonesTo ask the Prime Minister whether he has received a copy of the September 2002 report by the Pentagon Defense Intelligence Agency on Iraq's military capabilities. [118953]
§ The Prime MinisterWe have access to intelligence from our allies but under exemption 1(c) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information it is established practice not to disclose information received in confidence from foreign Governments.
§ David WinnickTo ask the Prime Minister if the Government will publish an account of the crimes against humanity carried out by the last regime in Iraq. [119474]
§ The Prime MinisterIn December 2002 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office published "Saddam Hussein—Crimes and Human Rights Abuses", which documented the human rights record under Saddam Hussein's regime. Copies were made available in the House Libraries. It set out Saddam's record on torture, the treatment of women, prison conditions, arbitrary and summary killings, the persecution of the Kurds and Shia, the harassment of opposition figures outside Iraq and the occupation of Kuwait.
Since the fall of the regime, evidence has emerged, including for example the discovery of mass graves, revealing torture and killing by the regime.
We have always believed that those who have been responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes should be brought to justice and that the Iraqi people should play key role in bringing those responsible to justice, with international help.
The security of evidence, which may be linked to war crimes or crimes against humanity, is a priority. Coalition forces have been tasked with securing and protecting evidence of such crimes as they encounter it, to hand over to the relevant prosecuting authority at the appropriate time.
I have appointed Ann Clwyd MP as my Special Envoy to Iraq on Human Rights to look into this matter and report back to me with recommendations.