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Iraq

The whole House will be grateful to the Secretary of State for making his comprehensive statement this afternoon, immediately on our return. I join him and the shadow Secretary of State in offering condolences to the families and loved ones of those in the British armed forces who have given their lives on active service. I also pay tribute to the continued bravery, dedication and professionalism of those in the armed forces who serve in Iraq, highlighted graphically by the appalling attacks on British forces in Basra and the events that followed. Does not that terrible episode, among many others, illustrate that the situation in Iraq is getting worse, rather than better? Should there not now be serious concerns about the relationship with the Iraqi security forces in Basra, given their apparent infiltration by the militias? Specifically, what resources are being channelled into improving intelligence gathering and force protection for our armed forces? The Secretary of State highlighted the setting up the joint committee to transfer security responsibility, which is an important development. What steps are now required to confirm the principles and criteria set out in his statement? Have the events in Basra altered the time scale for the transfer of security responsibility to Iraqi forces in MND(SE) and what is his assessment of when that may now occur? Although we may all agree that we must not cut and run, just how long a haul does he now believe will be necessary before our troops will have finished their job?