HL Deb 21 February 2005 vol 669 cc150-1WA
Lord Garden

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of the source documents provided by the Iraqi interim government which refer specifically to:

  1. (a) the deaths of 516 Iraqis as cited by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr Bill Rammell), in his Written Answer on 8 December 2004 (HC Deb, 604W); and
  2. (b) the deaths of 1,295 Iraqis, as cited by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 24 January (WA 129). [HL1153]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

The Iraqi Ministry of Health gave the figures referred to, to a UK official in Baghdad after they had been published in the Arabic media. There was no official source documentation provided.

Lord Garden

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the definitions of categories of causes in the two sets of figures for Iraqi casualties for 16 June to 10 September 2004 of:

  1. (a) 516 Iraqis killed and 2,016 injured directly as a result of attacks by the terrorists and insurgents; and
  2. (b) 1,295 Iraqis killed and 5,479 injured as a result of military action; and [HL1154]

Whether the Iraqi Ministry of Health's casualty figures contain separate attributions for the number of Iraqis killed or injured directly as a result of actions by multinational forces, Iraqi security forces and terrorists or insurgents; whether the figures distinguish between the deaths and injuries of combatants and non-combatants; and, if so, how they apply to figures released to date. [HL1155]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

The Iraqi Ministry of Health (MoH) released a statement on 28 January. It explained that in its figures, collated from some 180 hospitals:

"Casualties of car bombs and other clearly identifiable terrorist attacks are recorded as being caused by terrorist incidents. All other casualties are recorded as military action. The casualties may include insurgents, civilians as well as Iraqi police who are treated in MoH hospitals. The casualties may have been killed or injured by terrorist or coalition forces. Coalition forces include Iraqi police, Iraqi security forces, and the multinational forces"