Iraq (Hansard, 8 June 2004)

§ Sir Menzies Campbell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether(a) the Geneva Conventions and (b) all other international humanitarian and human rights law instruments will continue to govern the actions of coalition forces in Iraq after June 30; and if he will make a statement. [176808]

§ Mr. Straw
The forces contributing to the Multi-National Force operating in Iraq after 30 June will act consistently with their obligations under applicable international law, including international humanitarian law.

§ Sir Menzies Campbell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list the dates when Government(a) Ministers and (b) officials met Ahmed Chalabi; what was discussed on each occasion; and if he will make a statement; [176810]
(2) if he will make a statement on UK Government contact with Ahmed Chalabi and the Iraqi National Congress (a) prior to military action in Iraq and (b) subsequent to military action. [176811]

§ Mr. Straw
Since Ahmed Chalabi was appointed to the Iraqi Governing Council, there have been numerous meetings with him by UK officials, notably the UK Special Representative for Iraq, his staff, the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Human Rights in Iraq and the UK Mission in New York. These meetings have covered a wide range of issues. The only formal ministerial meeting was with my noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, who met him during her visit to Baghdad in March 2004. They discussed the transition process and the Oil For Food programme. I was introduced to Ahmed Chalabi and had a brief conversation with him at a US Government reception in New York during UNGA week in September 2003.
Prior to Ahmed Chalabi's appointment to the Iraqi Governing Council, the only recorded meeting took place in New York, during October 2000, where he met officials from the UK Mission to discuss sanctions and human rights.
Prior to military action, the Iraqi National Congress was in effect a loose umbrella organisation for most of the Iraqi opposition in exile. There were numerous meetings between UK officials and members of the Iraqi National Congress, both prior to and subsequent to military action.

§ Sir Menzies Campbell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the inclusion of material in the September 2002 dossier on Iraq originating from the Iraqi National Congress. [176812]
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§ Mr. Straw
No part of the dossier on Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction published on 24 September 2002 relied upon information known to have originated from the Iraqi National Congress.

§ David Taylor
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has sought from the Coalition Provisional Authority of the(a) capacity and (b) population of prisons in (i) Iraq and (ii) Baghdad. [177208]

§ Mr. Rammell
There are currently 18 Iraqi prisons in operation in Iraq with a capacity of 5,500. They are under the jurisdiction of the Iraqi Correction Service (ICS), under the Ministry of Justice. Of these, 14 are in the Baghdad region. A further 16 facilities with a capacity of 23,000 are planned. The CPA Ministry of Justice team estimate the prison population nationwide to be approximately 4,000. This does not include prisoners of war, security internees or criminal detainees (held for the Iraqis) held in UK or US custody. These number around 9,000.