Written question asked by Barry Gardiner (Labour) on Tuesday, 9 September 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 6 October 2003. It was answered by Gareth Thomas (Labour) on Monday, 6 October 2003 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Dept for International Development

Question: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development, pursuant to his Answer of 9th June, Official Report, 406 c614W, whether the Department has made an assessment of (a) whether there are sufficient numbers of trained public health laboratory staff in Iraq and (b) whether British military personnel can offer assistance in this area.

Answer: Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development pursuant to his answer of 9 June 2003, Official Report, column 614W, whether the Department has made an assessment of (a) whether there are sufficient numbers of trained public health laboratory staff in Iraq and (b) whether British military personnel can offer assistance in this area. [129806] Mr. Gareth Thomas: No overall assessment of public health laboratory staff in Iraq has taken place since the conflict this year. Information from agencies working the health sector in Iraq, such as the World Health Organisation, suggests that trained Iraqi staff are available, but their skills need to be updated in line with current professional knowledge. UK forces have a very small number of appropriately trained personnel in theatre who could, in principle, offer assistance in the training of Iraqi public health laboratory staff, subject to other priorities.

Secondary information