HC Deb 27 October 2003 vol 412 cc4-6WS
Mr. Jenkin

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many tankers have been hired by his Department to transport fuel for the Royal Navy and at what cost, in each of the past three years. [134464]

Mr. Ingram

The information requested is shown in the table.

Adam Price

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it Government policy to launch inquiries into incidents in which Iraqi civilians have been killed in Iraq by United Kingdom and United States military forces since the end of the conflict. [129531]

Mr. Hoon

[holding answer 15 September 2003]: We investigate every incident in which we can confirm that there has been a civilian fatality, and it has allegedly been caused by United Kingdom military personnel.

We are not in a position to comment on incidents involving US forces.

Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the United States Administration in respect of the publication of the report of the finding of the Iraq Survey Group; and when it will be published. [131113]

Mr. Hoon

I have frequent discussions with the United States Administration on a wide range of issues of mutual interest. The Iraq Survey Group is one such issue.

Dr. David Kay published his Statement on the Interim Progress Report on the Activities of the Iraq Survey Group on 2 October. It can be found at www.cia.gov and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Rosindell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to visit Iraq to view the reconstruction programme. [132128]

Mr. Hoon

I have recently returned from a visit to Iraq where I discussed infrastructure development with United Kingdom forces, the Coalition Provisional Authority and local leaders. I witnessed first hand the hard work and determination to ensure the success of reconstruction and security sector reform in Iraq.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement outlining the circumstances under which the test tube of botulinum was discovered in Iraq and how long it had been stored in its place of discovery. [132343]

Mr. Hoon

The Iraq Survey Group was led to the vial of "Clostridium botulinum" okra B in the home of an Iraqi BW scientist. It was found in the kitchen in a container with other vials, which are believed to have been stored there for some time.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement regarding his assessment of the United Kingdom Government's claim that Niger was prepared to sell uranium to Iraq. [132344]

Mr. Hoon

Niger sold some 270 tonnes of uranium ore to Iraq in the early 1980s. The Government have made no claim that Niger was prepared to sell uranium to Iraq since then.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why British experts on the Iraq Survey Group have not been given access to the classified version of the report presented by David Kay; and if he will make a statement. [132345]

Mr. Hoon

The classified version of Dr. David Kay's Interim Report on the work of the Iraq Survey Group was drawn up in consultation with United Kingdom, United States and Australian experts working in the field in Iraq.

Since Dr. Kay's return to Iraq, ISG personnel from all three coalition countries with a need to know and the appropriate clearances have been granted access to the completed report.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the test tube discovered in Iraq contained(a) the bacteria botulinum and (b) the toxin itself; what strain it was; how many times more toxic than the nerve agent VX the B strain is; and if he will make a statement. [132346]

Mr. Hoon

The vial contained viable "Clostridium botulinum- type B organisms. This would have allowed the Iraqis to grow from this seed stock increasing quantities of "Clostridium botulinum" from which its toxin could be derived. The toxin could then have been weaponised.

The vial was labelled as "Clostridium botulinum" strain Okra B. This micro-organism can produce botulinum toxin type B. "Clostridium botulinum" toxin type B is many times more toxic than VX nerve agent.

The comparison varies depending on the route by which each is applied, on the methods by which the botulinum toxin is prepared and on the subject to which it is applied.

Mr. Stewart

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to receive the final report from the survey group in Iraq on weapons of mass destruction. [133155]

Mr. Hoon

The Iraq Survey Group will take as long as necessary to complete its investigations into Iraqi weapons of mass destruction programmes and produce a final report.