§ 19. Dr. Cable:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress in the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. [132016]
§ Mr. MacShane:David Kay, the senior CIA officer in the Iraq Survey Group presented an interim report on the activities of the group to a number of Congressional committees on 2 October. According to his report the ISG has produced further conclusive and incontrovertible evidence that the Saddam regime was indeed in breach of UNSCR 1441.
The ISG has discovered "dozens of WMD-related programme activities and significant amounts of equipment that Iraq concealed from the United Nations during the inspections that began in late 2002".
§ 23. Tony Baldry:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of progress with reconstruction in Iraq. [132020]
§ Mr. Rammell:Good progress is being made with meeting immediate reconstruction needs in Iraq. Electricity generation has returned to pre-war levels, and oil production has recovered to 2 million barrels per day. The key economic institutions are being rebuilt, including the Central bank of Iraq which now has independence over key decisions. A budget has been agreed for 2003, Iraqi Ministries are planning their budgets for 2004, new bank notes are being distributed to replace the discredited Saddam Dinar, and a legal framework for commercial activity is being created. Iraq's longer-term reconstruction needs, arising from decades of misrule under Saddam, will be addressed at the international donors' conference in Madrid on 23–24 October.
§ Angus Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to his Department over possible Turkish military deployment in Iraq; who raised these concerns; and if he will make a statement. [131442]
§ Mr. Rammell:My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and FCO and MOD officials have discussed a possible Turkish military deployment to Iraq with representatives of the Turkish Government and with the Iraqi Governing Council (IGC).
We welcome the generous offer of Turkish troops, and the vote in the Turkish Parliament to approve this in principle. The practicalities of the potential deployment are a matter for the US and the Turkish Governments, taking into full consideration local sensitivities, including those raised by the IGC.
§ Angus Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had concerning the possibility of Turkish military deployment in Iraq; where these discussions took place; who initiated these discussions; and if he will make a statement. [131443]
§ Mr. Rammell:The UK has a regular dialogue with the Turkish Government on matters relating to Iraq, including a possible military deployment. On 25 September, Turkish Foreign Minister, Abdullah Gul 103W gave my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary an update on the situation. The Chief of Defence Staff and my right hon. Friend the Minister for the armed forces also discussed this issue, among others, during their recent visits to Turkey.
§ Joan Ruddock:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many women have been appointed to the preparatory committee working on the drafting of the new Iraqi constitution. [132149]
§ Mr. Rammell:We were disappointed that no women were appointed to the preparatory constitutional committee. In our discussions with the Governing Council and other Iraqi institutions we continue to stress the importance of women's issues being fully addressed in constitutional discussions to ensure that women are able to play a full role in public life. We are in regular contact with Songul Omar and Dr. Raja Habib Khurzai on the Governing Council and Nesreen Mustafa Sidiq Berwari, the Minister for Public Works.
My noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean met one of the women on the Governing Council, and the one woman Minister, during her recent visit to Baghdad.
§ Joan Ruddock:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many senior advisers from western countries have been appointed to work with Iraqi Ministers; and how many are women. [132151]
§ Mr. Rammell:At present there are 21 senior advisers from western countries that provide help to all 25 Iraqi Ministries. Three are women who work with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs arid Displaced Persons, Trade, and Human Rights.