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Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Volume 479: debated on Monday 21 July 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the legal immunity of private military contractors in the successor agreement to the UN mandate for Iraq. (219004)

The Government use private military and security companies to provide security for our diplomatic posts and for civilian officials in Iraq. As such, they play an important role in enabling us to achieve our objectives in Iraq. Although we have held initial discussions with the Government of Iraq on ways of securing a legal basis for activities by UK armed forces in Iraq following the anticipated expiry of UN Security Council Chapter VII authority, these have focussed on UK armed forces' operations and immunities. The issue of private military and security companies will be considered, if appropriate, in any future negotiations with the Government of Iraq.