§ Harry CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received of Coalition forces in Iraq abusing(a) women and (b) children; and if he will make a statement. [172940]
§ Mr. HoonAmnesty International's report of 11 May contains an allegation regarding United Kingdom armed forces over the death of an Iraqi child. I am also aware of another allegation recently raised in a letter from Amnesty International, involving a 16-year-old Iraqi boy. The Royal Military Police had already initiated investigations into both these cases, and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.
A report from Women Against Rape received on 17 May 2004 by the Ministry of Defence contains non-specific allegations and photographs of alleged rapes. The photographs have been scrutinised by the Royal Military Police and it has been confirmed that no UK armed forces personnel were involved.
I cannot comment on allegations relating to Coalition partners.
§ Mr. SoamesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions over the last 12 months the Secretary of State has seen reports by Amnesty International relating to the treatment by the Coalition forces of prisoners of war and other matters in Iraq. [173400]
§ Mr. Hoon[holding answer 14 May 2004]: The Ministry of Defence receives a number of communications from Amnesty International, including letters from different officers and officials, letters received as a result of AI campaigns and reports. Some are dealt with by officials, others by Ministers.
Following a range of correspondence to the Ministry of Defence from Amnesty I wrote to Director Amnesty International United Kingdom on 24 July 2003. I received details of eight incidents relating to UK forces in a letter on 16 April. On 10 May I received a report entitled "Iraq—killings of civilians in Basra and Al-Amara" which included descriptions of the same incidents. I subsequently received a copy of Amnesty's 14 May letter to the Prime Minister which included descriptions of four further incidents.
We take all allegations of wrongdoing against the UK armed forces very seriously. Some of the incidents raised by Amnesty have been identified and are subject to investigation; others require further research. The Minister of State for the Armed Forces has written to Amnesty saying that we will send to them a comprehensive response to the Amnesty reports, when this work is complete.
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§ Mr. SoamesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the International Committee of the Red Cross report on the treatment by Coalition forces of prisoners of war in Iraq was handed to the Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ); on what date the report was passed from PJHQ to the Department, and to whom; and on what date the report was passed to him. [173402]
§ Mr. Hoon[holding answer 14 May 2004]: The International Committee of the Red Cross's Report on the Treatment by the Coalition Forces of Prisoners of War and other Protected Persons by the Geneva Conventions in Iraq during Arrest, Internment and Interrogation, dated 10 February 2004, was formally passed to Ambassador Bremer and Lt. Gen. Sanchez on 26 February. An advance copy was passed by an official working for the Coalition Provisional Authority to the offices of Sir Jeremy Greenstock and the Senior British Military Representative in Iraq on 12 February. The latter passed a copy of the report to Headquarters Multi-National Division (South East) on 13 February and to the Permanent Joint Headquarters on 16 February, and posted a copy to the Ministry of Defence that arrived on 27 February. A copy of the report was sent to my office on 7 May.
§ Mr. SoamesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the written reply to the International Committee of the Red Cross report on the treatment by Coalition forces of prisoners of war in Iraq was made by his Department; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [173404]
§ Mr. Hoon[holding answer 14 May 2004]: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) did not mention any requirement for a formal response in presenting their report of February 2004.
The report covered visits that had taken place between three and eleven months earlier and there were no specific cases for the United Kingdom that were new. A new report, specific to the UK, was expected at the time and it was decided to wait until this new report was received before formally responding to the ICRC.