Prime Minister's question asked in the House of Commons, by David Anderson (Labour). It was answered by Tony Blair (Labour) on Wednesday, 25 October 2006 on behalf of the Prime Minister.

Iraq

Question: To ask the Prime Minister, what support the UK Government is giving to develop democratic, independent trade unions in Iraq.

Answer: My special envoy for human rights in Iraq recently met the Iraqi Minister for civil society and reiterated our full support for the right to form free and fair unions. She also made the same point when she met a group of Iraqi women trade unionists on international women’s day. As my hon. Friend knows—I think that he was present at the launch—there is a TUC pamphlet celebrating the life of Hadi Saleh, the international secretary of the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions, who was murdered in Iraq, almost certainly by former Saddamists, in January 2005. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate my hon. Friend and those in the TUC on campaigning for free and fair trade unions in Iraq. I also congratulate all those who continue to strive for free and trade unions in difficult circumstances today.

Secondary information