To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcome was of the raids on 23 and 25 February by US and Iraqi forces on the head offices of the General Federation of Iraqi Workers; what representations she has made on the recognition of trade union rights in Iraq; and if she will make a statement. (136689)

As stated in my answer to my hon. Friend on 26 March 2007, Official Report, column 1261W, the raids on the offices of the General Federation of Iraqi Workers were carried out by Iraqi security forces with the backing of multi-national forces as part of ongoing security operations. In response to my hon. Friend’s question, officials have raised the issue with the multi-national forces asking for further information about the raids.

We regard the right to form free and fair trades unions as fundamental. We remain deeply concerned about constraints on forming and financing of trades unions implied by Decree 8750 and Law 150 and will continue to lobby the Government of Iraq on this.