Written question asked by Lord Astor of Hever (Conservative), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Baroness Taylor of Bolton (Labour) on Tuesday, 7 July 2009.

Iraq

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government for how long members of Her Majesty's Armed Forces will remain in Iraq in their present status; and when they expect to reach a diplomatic agreement with the Government of Iraq over the status of those forces.

Answer: Our existing Government-to-Government Memorandum of Understanding with Iraq, which took effect on 1 January 2009, authorises the presence and activities of UK troops in Iraq until 31 July 2009. A new agreement for our future defence presence in Iraq, focused on training and maritime support, was signed on 6 June 2009. This agreement is currently being considered by the Iraqi Parliament. Copies of the signed text are available in the Library of the House.

Secondary information