Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to achieve a prisoner transfer agreement between Iraq and the UK; and what steps he is taking to achieve a prisoner transfer agreement between Iraq and the UK with regard to Danny Fitzsimons.

The negotiation of a prisoner transfer agreement between the United Kingdom and Iraq is at an advanced stage. Officials at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are in discussion with the Iraqi authorities and we hope to finalise the agreement at the earliest possible opportunity. Once in place British nationals imprisoned in Iraq and Iraqi nationals imprisoned here, will be able to serve their sentences in their own country. Given the security situation in Iraq, we have reminded the Iraqi Government of its important duty of care for foreign nationals held in its prisons and have asked for urgent advice on their contingency planning.