Iraq (Hansard, 25 March 2004)

§ Mr. Keetch
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 4 March 2004,Official Report, column 1050W, on Iraq, if he will list the complaints against UK troops that have been upheld which have been recorded centrally; and if he will make a statement. [160506]

§ Mr. Ingram
[holding answer 16 March 2004]: We record centrally cases in which the Special Investigations Branch of the Royal Military Police investigates Iraqi civilian fatalities allegedly caused by United Kingdom forces. As at 17 March the SIB had investigated 21 alleged cases. 10 investigations have been completed. In three the SIB concluded that the soldier had acted within his Rules of Engagement; in four—of road traffic accidents—the fatality was found to have been a genuine accident; and in three it was concluded that there was no case to answer. The remaining 11 investigations are on-going.

§ Mr. Hancock
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make public the report of the Special Investigation Branch into the deaths of six members of the Royal Military Police killed in Iraq in June 2003. [163218]

§ Mr. Ingram
In line with usual practice on the release of Service Police reports, we have no plans to make public the Special Investigation Branch (SIB) report into the deaths of the six RMPs who were killed in Al Majarr Al Kabir.
On 22 January 2004, the SIB provided an extensive briefing to the families of the soldiers who died and have undertaken to provide them with further updates should significant further information come to light as the investigation continues.

§ Mr. Keetch
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many bombing missions were aborted by RAF pilots during Operation Telic(a) in total and (b) owing to faulty target selection; and if he will make a statement. [163410]

§ Mr. Ingram
Royal Air Force aircraft aborted about 350 missions. 55 of these attacks were aborted due to inability to positively identify the target for example because it was obscured by smoke.

§ Mr. Keetch
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many bombs were exploded in mid-air before reaching their targets during Operation Telic; and if he will make a statement. [163411]

§ Mr. Ingram
None. The RAF does not possess in its inventory any weapons that can be detonated by the pilot after launch.

§ Mrs. Liddell
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the contribution of UK forces towards the re-opening of schools in the southern Iraqi provinces. [143742]

§ Mr. Ingram
Work on schools is one of the Coalition's highest priorities in the reconstruction of Iraq. From the earliest weeks after the end of major combat operations on 1 May 2003 Coalition forces worked closely with UNICEF and other Non-Governmental Organisations948W to assess need and distribute packages of equipment. Since then a major refurbishment programme has been under way.
As at 25 February, within the Multinational Division (Southeast) area, coalition forces have refurbished and/or granted financial aid packages to 1,824 schools. A large amount of school equipment has also been distributed, including over 15,000 chalkboards, 200,000 student kits and 23,000 desks.