§ Glenda JacksonTo ask the Prime Minister if he will call upon the Coalition Provisional Authority urgently to review the present policy on Iraqi prisons and prisoners. [172315]
§ The Prime MinisterThe Iraqi Corrections Service and the Coalition Provisional Authority are currently working on a comprehensive set of policies and procedures for the entire Iraqi Corrections Service. These will be approved by the CPA Senior Adviser for Prisons and the Director of the Iraqi Corrections Service headed by an Iraqi national. The office of the UK Special Representative for Iraq stays in close touch with CPA prisons advisers, and policy and progress is kept under regular review.
The CPA has a senior adviser for prisons and there are currently 60 CPA trainers and advisers working with the Iraqis. There are currently three senior UK prison advisers working in the UK area of operations.
The UK will be sending additional UK prison officers to assist the Iraqis in administering prisons and to monitor progress in the current UK area of operations following the transition of sovereignty on 30 June.
§ Glenda JacksonTo ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library details of the policy agreed by the Coalition Provisional Authority on the(a) administration of Iraqi prisons and (b) the oversight and maintenance of prisoners and their welfare. [172316]
§ The Prime MinisterIn June 2003, Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) Orders 7 and 10 and "Implementing Memorandum number 2 (Management of Detention and Prison Facilities)" set in place detailed guidance for the administration and maintenance of Iraqi prisons and prisoners which are already publicly available on the CPA website. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.
All Iraqi corrections officers and Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) advisers are required to follow a code of conduct that requires the humane treatment of prisoners. Coalition soldiers involved in 749W looking after the administration and maintenance of Iraqi prisons and prisoners are governed by the Geneva Convention.
§ Glenda JacksonTo ask the Prime Minister who, within the Coalition Provisional Authority, has responsibility for prisons policy in Iraq, in relation to(a) administration of personnel and (b) the welfare of prisoners. [172317]
§ The Prime MinisterThe Senior Adviser for Prisons and his staff have primary responsibility within the Coalition Provisional Authority for prison policies in Iraq. They work closely with the Iraqi Ministry of Justice and the Iraqi Corrections Service on administration of personnel and welfare of prisoners. The Ministry of Human Rights already have access to criminal detainees whenever they wish.
§ Glenda JacksonTo ask the Prime Minister (1) when he received a copy of the International Committee of the Red Cross report of February 2004 into allegations of abuse by Coalition forces of Iraqi detainees; [173200]
(2) on what date he was first informed of the existence of the Report by the International Committee of the Red Cross on the treatment by the Coalition forces of prisoners of war and other persons protected by the Geneva Conventions in Iraq during arrest, internment and interrogation, dated February 2004; and on what date he read it; [173341]
(3) when the International Committee of the Red Cross Report on the treatment by coalition forces of prisoners of war in Iraq was received in Number 10 Downing Street; and what action was taken. [173425]
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the right hon. Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) at Prime Ministers Questions on 12 May 2004,Official Report, columns 347 to 349.
§ Mr. LansleyTo ask the Prime Minister whether he has undertaken a(a) comparison and (b) reconciliation with the results of the Iraq Survey Team of information supplied by Iraq in response to UNSC Resolution 1441. [173837]
§ The Prime MinisterThe work of the Iraq Survey Group is continuing and a final report has yet to be produced.
§ Mr. SoamesTo ask the Prime Minister on what date the International Committee of the Red Cross report on the treatment by Coalition forces of prisoners of war and other persons protected by the Geneva conventions during arrest, internment and interrogation in Iraq was received by his Office. [173902]
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the right hon. Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) at Prime Ministers Questions on 12 May,Official Report, columns 347 to 349.
§ Glenda JacksonTo ask the Prime Minister whether he has read the Amnesty International report, Iraq—Killings of Civilians in Basra and al-Amaia, published on 11 May; and what response he has made to it. [174332]
750W
§ The Prime MinisterAs I said at Prime Minister's Questions on 12 May, Official Report, column 348, Amnesty International has passed eight cases to us, seven of which are already known to us. The one that is not known to us is being investigated.