Written question asked by Patrick Hall (Labour) on Monday, 8 December 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 16 December 2003. It was answered by Hilary Benn (Labour) on Tuesday, 16 December 2003 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Dept for International Development

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the role in the reconstruction of Iraq of the privatisation of state-owned enterprises being pursued by the Private Sector Development Department of the Iraqi Coalition Provisional Authority; if he will make a statement on the privatisation of Iraqi state-owned enterprises being pursued by the Private Sector Development Department of the Iraqi Coalition Provisional Authority; and if he will make a statement on compatibility of such action with Article 55 of Section III of the Annex to the Hague Convention (IV) 1907.

Answer: Mr. Patrick Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what assessment he has made of the role in the reconstruction of Iraq of the privatisation of state-owned enterprises being pursued by the Private Sector Development Department of the Iraqi Coalition Provisional Authority; [143302] (2) if he will make a statement on the privatisation of Iraqi state-owned enterprises being pursued by the Private Sector Development Department of the Iraqi Coalition Provisional Authority; and if he will make a statement on compatibility of such action with Article 55 of Section III of the Annex to the Hague Convention (IV) 1907. [143303] Hilary Benn: No decision has been made on the privatisation of Iraqi state-owned enterprises. As Paul Bremer, the US Administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority, stated at the Madrid Conference, "Decisions on that matter [privatisation of Iraqi State Owned Enterprises] will be made in due course by Iraqi authorities".

Secondary information