§ Norman Lamb:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role the Government is playing in the process of awarding contracts for the provision of mobile telecommunications services in Iraq; how this process is being managed; and if he will make a statement. [142018]
§ Mr. Rammell:The process of awarding licences for the provision of mobile telecommunications services in Iraq is the responsibility of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA). The Iraqi Minister of Communications reviewed the outcome of the process and announced it.
The CPA put into place measures and safeguards in order to ensure the telecommunications licences were awarded in a transparent, fair and impartial manner, based upon full and open competition.
§ Norman Lamb:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the extent of the involvement of Mr. Nadhmi Auchi in the process for awarding contracts for the provision of mobile telecommunications services in Iraq. [142020]
§ Mr. Rammell:The process for awarding licences for the provision of mobile telecommunications services in Iraq was the responsibility of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA). The Iraqi Minister of Communications reviewed the outcome of the process and announced it. Mr. Nadhmi Auchi was not involved in the process of awarding licences.
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§ Norman Lamb:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) the Pentagon Inspector General and (b) other US authorities on investigations into the awarding of contracts for the provision of mobile telecommunications services in Iraq, with particular reference to the activities of Mr. David Leech and Mr. Jim Davis. [142208]
§ Mr. Rammell:My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no discussions with the Pentagon Inspector General or other US authorities on investigations into the awarding of the licences for the provision of mobile telecommunications services in Iraq. The British Government have no knowledge of any investigation into or formal allegation against Mr. David Leech or Mr. Jim Davies, and no reason to doubt their integrity in any way.
The CPA put into place measures and safeguards in order to ensure the telecommunications licences were awarded in a transparent, fair and impartial manner, based upon full and open competition.
§ Mr. Menzies Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria will determine whether the results of investigations by (a) the Iraq Survey Group and (b) any other agency will be published; and if he will make a statement. [142637]
§ Mr. Straw:The Iraq Survey Group is a coalition body, not a UK Government body. The reports that they produce will be shared with the Governments of the coalition parties.
The criteria for the release of any information generated within the Government or received by the Government are laid down in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.