Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Viscount Hailsham (Conservative). It was answered on Monday, 26 February 2007 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Iraq

Question: Last week, the Prime Minister announced the beginning of the withdrawal of British troops, but does the right hon. Gentleman agree that when those troops are withdrawn it is extremely important that they are not exposed to unnecessary risk? Will he give the House an assurance that during the process of withdrawal proper steps will be taken to ensure the self-defence capacity of British troops?

Answer: I can give the right hon. and learned Gentleman that assurance. That is exactly what we plan to do, even in terms of the limited withdrawal that the Prime Minister announced on Wednesday. At the heart of that announcement, as my right hon. Friend explained to the House, is our ability to draw down our troops in Iraq, because the view was taken not just by us but by our coalition partners and the Iraqi Government themselves that their forces could take the lead in delivering security in areas from which we were drawing down. That process will be continually assessed and reassessed, and unless we can satisfy ourselves as we go along that we can meet the demanding standards that we set, we will not proceed with it. It is a conditions-based process, and one of those conditions is that we look after the security of our own troops there while we undertake it.

Secondary information