HC Deb 19 July 2004 vol 424 cc23-5W
16. Mr. Kevan Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Iraqi security forces will be at full operational level. [184484]

Mr. Hoon

The Iraqi Security Forces consist of the Iraqi Police Service, Iraqi Armed Forces, Iraqi National Guard, Iraqi Border Police, Facilities Protection Force, Iraqi Coastal Defence Force and Iraqi Riverine Patrol Service among others. Each of these is a separate organisation and has its own intensive programme of training and capability development. Some units of each are already operational locally. Further capability development will occur at different rates in each organisation. It is for the Iraqi Government to determine when the capability they seek is being delivered.

Mr. Ben Chapman

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the time scale for the Iraqi security forces to reach full operational capacity. [184488]

Mr. Hoon

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for North Durham (Mr. Jones).

21. Kali Mountford

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work his Department is doing with the (a) Department for International Development and (b) non-governmental organisations to assist the postwar reconstruction of Iraq. [184490]

Mr. Hoon

The Ministry of Defence's main contribution to the reconstruction of Iraq is to help provide the security that allows reconstruction projects to take place. We also work with the Department for International Development on numerous reconstruction projects in the South under the auspices of the Emergency Infrastructure Programme, with United Kingdom soldiers rebuilding and offering advice. We work with DFID to ensure that our Quick Impact Project money, which brings about short-term improvements in living conditions, is disbursed wisely.

MOD coordinates closely with DFID on Iraq policy issues, including strategic communication, capacity building and use of funds from the Global Conflict Prevention Pool. NGOs concerned with reconstruction normally engage with DfTD. Our close relationship with DfID ensures that our collective reconstruction effort can take account of concerns or proposals from NGOs.

Mr. Rosindell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British troops are in Iraq; and what British equipment is deployed there. [184268]

Mr. Ingram

As at the 13 July there are around 8,500 British troops deployed on Operation Telic in Iraq.

There are currently around 2,800 Army vehicles and other pieces of equipment ranging from challenger tanks and helicopters through to fuel tankers and forklift handling equipment, generators and Land Rovers. The RAF has a mixture of Combat, Air Transport, Refuelling and Maritime Surveillance aircraft involved in operations in the Gulf and the Royal Navy has some warships and support vessels.

Mr. Rosindell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the UK's defence budget has been devoted specifically to the armed forces in Iraq over the past 15 months. [184270]

Mr. Ingram

The Ministry of Defence, in common with other Government Departments, publishes expenditure data on an annual basis in its Resource Accounts following audit by the National Audit Office. Details of costs of operations in Iraq for the Financial Year 2003–04 will be published in the MOD's Annual Report and Accounts following audit in September. Total costs are expected to be within the £1,539 million voted by Parliament which represents 3.6 per cent. of the total resource and capital expenditure limits voted to my Department in the Spring Supplementary Estimates.

Audited figures for the cost of operations in Iraq in this financial year will be published in the MOD's Resource Accounts in 2005. It is too early to provide any estimate for the total costs that will be incurred this year, but we will ask the House to vote the necessary funds in Supplementary Estimates in due course.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the incidents that have led to compensation being paid to Iraqi people in the sector occupied by British forces for (a) death, (b) injury and (c) destruction of property. [169408]

Mr. Ingram

As at 16 July, the following incidents have led to compensation being paid to Iraqi people in the sector occupied by British Forces.

Number
Death Road traffic accidents 6
Gunshot wounds 3
Bomb attack on British Army vehicle 1
Death in detention 1
Injury Road traffic accidents 14
Gunshot wounds 3
Sustained during arrest 11
Resulting from property searches 2
Property damage — 24
Vehicle damage Road traffic accidents 57

Mr. Kilfoyle

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which private companies' services have been employed by his Department in Iraq; and how much has been paid to each. [175095]

Mr. Ingram

We employ contractors to undertake a wide variety of tasks such as support of equipment, construction and removal of camps, catering and translation. They are contracted by a number of separate military commands including in theatre.

A record of which private companies' services have been employed is not held centrally and could only be established at disproportionate cost; details of the respective contracts are commercial in confidence.

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