Iraq (Hansard, 14 March 2003)

§ Mr. Cash
To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the legal basis for military intervention against Iraq. [102902]

§ The Prime Minister
There is a longstanding convention, followed by successive Governments and reflected in the ministerial code, that legal advice to the Government remains confidential. This enables Government to obtain frank and full legal advice in confidence, as everyone else can.
We always act in accordance with international law. At the appropriate time the Government would of course explain the legal basis for any military action that may be necessary.

§ Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Prime Minister if he has consulted previous prime ministers to secure their consent to commit British forces to battle in Iraq. [103051]

§ The Prime Minister
No decision to launch military action against Iraq has been taken.

§ Mr. Webb
To ask the Prime Minister how many Christian Aid postcards urging action on Middle East peace and a peaceful resolution to the Iraq crisis he has received at Downing Street. [103170]
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§ The Prime Minister
The Government have received over 45,000 postcards since the campaign began. The Foreign Secretary will be writing to Christian Aid, and will ask that the letter is placed on their website so that people can read it.

§ Adam Price
To ask the Prime Minister (1) what discussions he has had with the US Government concerning the exploitation of Iraqi oil following a conflict which leads to regime change; [102752]
(2) what (a) discussions he has held with and (b) representations he has received from multinational oil companies concerning the exploitation of Iraqi oil following any conflict in the Middle East; [102753]
(3) what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues concerning the exploitation of Iraqi oil following any conflict in the Middle East. [102756]

§ The Prime Minister
No decision to launch military action against Iraq has been taken. It is our position that Iraqi oil is owned by the Iraqi people. Its revenues should be used for the good of the people. We make this clear in all our contacts on the subject.
However, the current situation is not about oil, it is about weapons of mass destruction and the Iraqi regime deliberately flouting the will of the United Nations.