HC Deb 30 October 2003 vol 412 cc326-7W
Bob Spink

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in(a) securing and (b) protecting evidence of human rights abuses in Iraq during Saddam Hussein's regime; what evidence has been handed to the relevant prosecuting authorities; and what the relevant prosecuting authorities are. [133831]

Mr. MacShane

I have been asked to reply.

The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) has been working with the Governing Council, the Iraqi Human Rights Ministry, and local and international organisations to put in place the necessary procedures for collecting and securing evidence. The CPA has so far investigated 128 of the 250 reported mass grave sites and seized thousands of potentially relevant documents. CPA efforts are also focused on building the capacity of Iraqis to investigate the crimes committed by the former regime for both historical and prosecution purposes.

Bob Russell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to send(a) additional and (b) replacement troops to Iraq; which units are to be sent and when; and if he will make a statement. [135450]

Mr. Hoon

I refer the hon. Member to my Written Statement of 28 October 2003,Official Report, columns 7-8WS.

Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the reason no action was taken to take into account(a) factual errors and (b) suggested errors of interpretation brought to the attention of their seniors by concerned defence intelligence officers in respect of the draft dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction of September 2002, prior to its final publication; and when he was first informed of the misgivings of the defence intelligence staff officers relating to the draft. [131108]

Mr. Hoon

As indicated in my evidence to Lord Hutton's Inquiry on 27 August 2003, I was first informed in a minute dated 18 July 2003 that two officials in the Defence Intelligence Staff had expressed some concerns about certain language used in the dossier. I set out the action taken as a result of those concerns in my remarks in the House on 11 September 2003,Official Report, columns 491-95.