Iraq (Hansard, 17 May 2004)

§ Sir Menzies Campbell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what areas of Iraq are under the effective control of the UK. [171554]

§ Mr. Straw
The UK commands Multinational Division South East (MND SE) which comprises all Coalition military forces in the provinces of Basra, Muthanna, Maysan and Dhi Qar. Troops from 10 states operate in the MND SE Area of Responsibility.

§ Harry Cohen
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his latest estimate is of the amount owed by Iraq in reparations. [171982]

§ Mr. Rammell
The United Nations Compensation Commission has assessed 98 per cent. of the claims submitted to it for direct losses arising as a result of Iraq's illegal invasion and occupation of Kuwait in 1990. The total amount awarded so far amounts to US$ 48,170,438,256 of which US$ 18,389,089,070.86 has been paid. An amount of US$ 29,781,349,185.20 remains to be paid. Work on assessing the remaining claims is ongoing.

§ Mr. Evans
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what payments his Department has made to private military companies working in Iraq. [172695]

§ Mr. Rammell
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not employ any private military companies. It does employ two private security companies to provide armed protection for its staff and assets in Iraq. Payments under these contracts to 31 March 2004 have amounted to approximately £15 million.

§ Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on encouraging the development of secular political parties in Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [173008]

§ Mr. Rammell
We fully support the vital role of the UN in helping Iraq prepare for elections in early 2005 to a Transitional National Assembly, as requested by the Iraqi Governing Council. As part of that process, the UN are helping the Iraqis to produce a political parties law which will provide the legal basis for the activities of Iraqi political parties. This and the Transitional Administrative Law will provide the framework in which Iraqis will be free to form political parties and to 677W compete in elections. The Department for International Development have created a Political Participation Fund for Iraq to increase the opportunities for Iraqi citizens to participate in the democratic process. It is now for the Iraqis to decide what sort of political parties they wish to develop within the legal framework being established.