Iraq

HC Deb 01 May 2003 vol 404 cc497-9W

Joan Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the names of the Executive Council of Baghdad working with the coalition; and which of the Executive Council's members are women. [110342]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

I understand that the coalition Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance did not appoint the Executive Council of Baghdad. The Council have not provided details of their composition.

Mr. Peter Ainsworth

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he received, from whom and when, between 1 January and 20 April, regarding the threat of looting of antiquities in Iraq; what his response was; and if he will make a statement. [110612]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

We continue to receive a large number of representations on a wide range of issues concerning Iraq. The Coalition consulted widely before the commencement of the military campaign on the risks to ancient historical and archaeological sites. We have stressed our commitment to protecting such sites. We want to protect resources for all Iraqis and will take what measures are necessary to do this.

Mr. Peter Ainsworth

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he is taking to ensure the identification and return of antiquities and cultural artefacts looted from Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [110616]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

We are taking a number of steps to ensure the identification of antiquities and cultural artefacts looted from. Iraq, including contacting main trade bodies in the art market, sending Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) staff to Iraq, and providing funding, part of which will go to help with cultural heritage issues in Iraq.

Mr. Challen

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations his Department has received from the Committee for the Release of Hostages and Detainees in Iraq. [110802]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

Representatives of the Committee have recently told officials of their concerns about people they fear to be still held in Iraqi prisons.

Mr. Challen

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what formal structures will be created to gather evidence from former political hostages and detainees of criminality on the part of the previous Iraqi regime. [110803]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

Our forces are already being tasked to secure and protect evidence of criminal activity by members of the Saddam Hussein regime. We are in the process of assessing, with the US, what help the Iraqis may need in investigating such crimes.

Mr. Challen

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the number of political detainees in Iraq still incarcerated in prisons and detention centres; and what steps his Department is taking to secure their release. [110804]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

Human Rights Watch estimate that nearly 300,000 Iraqis have "disappeared" since the late 1970s. We have no way of knowing how many of these were still alive or still in detention at the start of military action.

Many prisons were emptied by the Iraqis themselves as Coalition forces advanced. In prisons where detainees have been found, UK forces are seeking to improve humanitarian conditions and to make an accurate assessment of whether the detainees were imprisoned for political or criminal reasons.

Joan Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Iraqi women's organisations were invited to participate in the Baghdad Conference held in April to prepare the way for an Interim Iraqi Authority; and how many of the delegates were women. [110805]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

The US led Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance issued invitations to individual Iraqis, not organisations, to participate in the meeting in Baghdad on 28 April. 12 Iraqi women were invited, six are reported to have attended. The afternoon session discussed the formation of the IIA. This discussion was led by a woman academic who also replied to it. Another woman contributed to the debate. The Government are committed to promoting the inclusion of women in all phases and at all levels of the reconstruction of Iraq inline with UN Resolution 1325 (October 2000).