Iraq (Hansard, 9 March 2004)

§ Lynne Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2004,Official Report, column 482W, on Iraq, when the British embassy received the Note Verbale from the Mexican Government; and whether the UK Government has replied. [158354]

§ Mr. Rammell
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Walthamstow (Mr. Gerrard) on 2 March 2004,Official Report, column 743.

§ Mr. Chidgey
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many contracts, of what total financial value, have been awarded for reconstruction projects in Iraq, broken down by nationality of company awarded a contract. [159002]

§ Mr. Mike O'Brien
The US administration has allocated $18.6 billion for the reconstruction process in Iraq. Because of the large number of different organisations involved and the fact that many are involved in partnerships with American, Iraqi and other companies, it has not been possible to maintain an overall picture of the total volume of contracts awarded on the basis of nationality. and the cumulative value of these contracts. There is no central organisation that collects, collates and publishes such information. However, British companies are active in the power, water, banking, ports, construction, telecoms, security, legal services and consultancy sectors.

§ Mr. Swayne
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the circumstances surrounding the recent replacement of the Coalition Provisional Authority Governorate Co-ordinator for Dhi Qar province in Iraq. [159191]

§ Mr. Rammell
[holding answer 8 March 2004]John Bourne served as the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) Governorate Co-ordinator for Dhi Qar province from early September 2003 to 27 February 2004. It was never intended that he should remain until the dissolution of the CPA. He served with distinction in the face of considerable difficulties, particularly after the attack on the Italian Carabinieri in Nassariya. His Italian replacement, Barbara Contini, has already been working in the CPA's Regional Office in Basra, and comes with strong experience of post-conflict reconstruction in the Balkans.
1437W

§ Joan Ruddock
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of the interim constitution adopted by the Interim Governing Council in Iraq on the rights of women. [159501]

§ Mr. Rammell
The Transitional Administrative Law (TAL) signed on 8 March 2004 includes clear provisions for the protection of women's rights. It enshrines the fundamental rights of all Iraqis. It strictly prohibits discrimination based upon gender. The TAL also stipulates an electoral system designed to ensure that no less than one-quarter of representatives in the National Assembly are women.

§ Joan Ruddock
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the current status is of the decision taken by the governing council in Iraq to repeal existing family laws and make family law subject to Sharia. [159502]

§ Mr. Rammell
Governing Council Resolution 137 on family law has been withdrawn by the Governing Council. It has no legal status.