Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support British oil and gas companies in securing production rights in Iraq.

Except in the Kurdish Region of Iraq (KRI), International Oil Companies (IOCs) operate in Iraq under Technical Service Contracts (TSCs) which are agreed and signed with the Ministry of Oil in Baghdad. In the KRI, IOCs operate under Production-Sharing Agreements (PSAs). The Department for International Trade, including through our Embassy in Baghdad, will provide advice and support to British companies seeking to work under these agreements when requested and as appropriate.