Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department’s technical support to the Peshmerga Ministry in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We continue to provide the Kurdish Peshmerga with technical and military support to enhance their capacity and capability to tackle the threat from Daesh. To date, the UK has trained over 9,100 Peshmerga fighters. During my (Minister Cleverly's) visit to Erbil in December, I discussed the need to continue supporting Peshmerga reform with the Kurdistan Regional Government, in order to ensure a unified and modernised Peshmerga. To this aim, the UK and other multi-national partners are, in concert with the global Coalition and the Kurdistan Regional Government, working closely on a Peshmerga Reform Programme.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the purpose is of his Department’s technical support to the Peshmerga Ministry in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We continue to provide the Kurdish Peshmerga with technical and military support to enhance their capacity and capability to tackle the threat from Daesh. To date, the UK has trained over 9,100 Peshmerga fighters. During my (Minister Cleverly's) visit to Erbil in December, I discussed the need to continue supporting Peshmerga reform with the Kurdistan Regional Government, in order to ensure a unified and modernised Peshmerga. To this aim, the UK and other multi-national partners are, in concert with the global Coalition and the Kurdistan Regional Government, working closely on a Peshmerga Reform Programme.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential role of the UN in assisting the federal and regional governments of Iraq to support (a) resolution of the status of disputed territories in Iraq and (b) a budget deal and a revenue-sharing agreement between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal government.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We work closely with the UN and international partners to encourage the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government to resolve their issues, including on a sustainable budget and disputed internal boundaries. The recent agreement on Sinjar, which the UN supported, is a positive step in this regard. I discussed these issues with the Governments of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq during my visit in December 2020.
Asked by: Jack Lopresti (Conservative - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Peshmerga programme.
Answered by James Heappey
The support to Kurdish Region of Iraq (KRI) Security Sector Reform (SSR) has been very important. Indeed, when visiting the KRG myself in December 2020 I was able to see how it contributes to our overarching support to the Iraqi state towards the enduring defeat of Daesh. So far, the UK has trained over 120,000 Iraqi Security Forces and Kurdish Security Forces in Infantry skills, counter-IED, engineering, and medical expertise. As a result, their capabilities have increased considerably, and they are able to contribute to the success of the counter-Daesh campaign.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations to his Iraqi counterpart on reports of recent violence towards peaceful protestors in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We are deeply concerned by reports of violence in Sulaimaniyah, which our Consul General in Erbil has raised with the Kurdistan Regional Government. We call on security forces to respect the right to peaceful protest and to exercise restraint, and on those protesting to do so peacefully.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of his visit to the Kurdistan region in Iraq.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK supports a strong a successful Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) within a thriving Iraq. During my December visit to Erbil, I discussed the mutual desire to deepen the UK-KRI partnership with the leadership of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The UK looks forward to continued close engagement with the KRG as a critical and valued partner in the region; progressing security cooperation, increasing our business links, and supporting sustainable economic reform that delivers for all Iraqis.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the report by the APPG on the Kurdistan Region in Iraq on bilateral relations; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
As I [Minister Cleverly] discussed with the APPG on 7 December, there is much to welcome in the APPG's report on the bilateral relationship between the UK and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. During my [Minister Cleverly] December visit to Erbil, I [Minister Cleverly] discussed the mutual desire to deepen our partnership with the leadership of the Kurdistan Regional Government. The UK will continue to work closely with both the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government to urge a sustainable budget settlement, increase business cooperation, and to support economic reform that delivers for all Iraqis.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk that the agreement reached on 9 October between the government of Iraq and the Kurdish Regional Government about the Sinjar district poses to Yezidi people; and what action they are taking as a result.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK continues to closely monitor the recent agreement between the Government of Iraq (GoI) and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) over governance sharing in Sinjar. We are committed to supporting the rights of the Yazidi community and other minority groups in Iraq. HMA Baghdad has recently discussed this matter with GoI and KRG leadership, as well as senior representatives of the Yazidi community, urging for representation of minority groups. The UK's Minister for the Middle East and Minister for the Armed Forces travelled to Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on 30 November, and discussed security cooperation with GoI and KRG leadership. The UK will continue to engage closely with all relevant parties in order to support the rights of the Yazidi community and other minority groups through this agreement.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the agreement reached on 9 October between the government of Iraq and the Kurdish Regional Government about the Sinjar district and, in particular, of the views of the local community about that agreement.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK continues to closely monitor the recent agreement between the Government of Iraq (GoI) and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) over governance sharing in Sinjar. We are committed to supporting the rights of the Yazidi community and other minority groups in Iraq. HMA Baghdad has recently discussed this matter with GoI and KRG leadership, as well as senior representatives of the Yazidi community, urging for representation of minority groups. The UK's Minister for the Middle East and Minister for the Armed Forces travelled to Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on 30 November, and discussed security cooperation with GoI and KRG leadership. The UK will continue to engage closely with all relevant parties in order to support the rights of the Yazidi community and other minority groups through this agreement.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the state of bilateral relations between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Federal Government of Iraq; and what steps his Department is taking to improve relations in that region.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK continues to work closely with both the Government of Iraq (GoI) and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in order to support ongoing political, economic, and security cooperation. The UK has frequent Ministerial and official engagement with GoI and KRG leadership on this matter. Most recently, the UK's Defence Senior Advisor for the Middle East and HM Ambassador to Iraq met with both GoI and KRG leadership on 18-19 November to discuss the need for ongoing security and economic cooperation.