Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Dr. Murrison
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the monetary value is of the equipment to be left in Iraq by the armed forces on completion of Operation Telic.

Mr. Hutton
After the withdrawal of UK forces from Basra, we will retain in Iraq the military equipment needed to support the training and assistance that UK service personnel will continue to provide to the Iraqi security forces as part of the normal bilateral relationship. We are continuing to discuss the precise scope of that activity with the Government of Iraq. As UK combat forces drawdown, any proposal to gift equipment to Iraq would follow established procedures.