Iraq (Hansard, 16 September 2004)

§ Mr. Bercow
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to ensure the safety of United Kingdom personnel in Iraq following the transfer of sovereignty. [188318]

§ Mr. Ingram
United Kingdom military personnel are thoroughly trained before deployment to Iraq and appropriately equipped to allow them to perform the tasks expected of them in theatre.

§ Mr. Bercow
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the required numbers of Iraqi(a) armed forces, (b) police, (c) civil defence corps and (d) border police. [188353]

§ Mr. Ingram
We are working with the Multinational Security Transition Command (MNSTC) and the Iraqi authorities to review the required future manning levels for the Iraqi security forces. The MNSTC currently assesses that the future strength of the Iraqi armed forces will be approximately 100,000; of the police, 135,000; of the Iraqi national guard, 62,000; and of the Department for Border Security, 32,000. These figures remain under regular review.

§ Mr. Bercow
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to increase assistance by his Department to the Government of Iraq in its efforts to improve security. [188357]

§ Mr. Ingram
There are currently no plans to increase the substantial support that the Department is providing to the Iraqi Interim Government in its efforts to improve security, although we keep the situation under constant review.

§ Mr. Soames
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether at any stage during June, July or August he imposed a ban on press access to or news coverage of British forces serving in the Iraq theatre of operations. [188594]

§ Mr. Ingram
[holding answer 13 September 2004]The Ministry of Defence has not banned access to, or news coverage of, British forces in Iraq. Sponsored media representatives accompanying British forces in Iraq have, on occasion, had temporary restrictions placed upon their movement, either for their own safety and that of the forces protecting them or because their reporting could put our personnel at risk.

§ Mr. McNamara
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Iraqi detainees are held by British troops. [189325]

§ Mr. Ingram
As at 14 September 2004, there were no detainees, although 26 internees were being held by British troops in Iraq.