§ Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 30 January 2004,Official Report, column 581W, on Iraq, what the basis is of the Government's understanding that the originators of the intelligence that Iraq sought the supply of uranium from Africa discussed the issue with the International Atomic Energy Agency shortly before the International Atomic Energy Agency Report of 7 March 2003. [178086]
§ Mr. MacShaneAs stated in the answer my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave to my hon. Friend, together with subsequent answers given to my hon. Friend on this issue, I am withholding further details of intelligence exchanges with allies under Exemption 1(c) of Part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
§ Mr. TynanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to whom the Coalition Provisional Authority is accountable. [178397]
§ Mr. RammellThe role of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) was recognised and further defined in resolution 1483 of 22 May 2003, and its authority is set out in CPA Regulation No 1, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House. Resolution 1483 will continue to operate until 30 June, when the handover of authority to the Iraqi Interim Government will be complete and the CPA will dissolve. Security Council Resolution 1546 of 8 June sets out the transition arrangements for after 30 June.
§ Mr. TynanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to whom the Iraq Survey Group is accountable. [178398]
§ Mr. MacShaneThe Iraq Survey Group forms part of the Joint Task Force Iraq, which reports through the chain of command to General Abizaid and upwards to the US Secretary of State for Defense. The US Director Central Intelligence has overall responsibility for the search for weapons of mass destruction. The British element of the Group has a national link to the Secretary of State for Defence through the Permanent Joint Headquarters at Northwood and the UK Ministry of Defence.
§ Mr. TynanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the Iraq Survey Group to complete its work; and what criteria will be applied when deciding whether the work of the Iraq Survey Group is complete. [178399]
799W
§ Mr. MacShaneThere is no set timetable for Iraq Survey Group activities. The Group will continue its work for as long as appropriate. It is not possible to say when the Iraq Survey Group will have completed its task