Written question asked by Joan Ruddock (Labour) on Tuesday, 31 August 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 14 September 2004. It was answered by Bill Rammell (Labour) on Tuesday, 14 September 2004 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department is giving to the preparation of women candidates for parliamentary elections in Iraq. - Including figures.

Answer: Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support his Department is giving to the preparation of women candidates for parliamentary elections in Iraq. [187619] Mr. Rammell: This Government will make every effort to assist the holding of representative elections in Iraq in January next year, including helping implement the provision in the Transitional Administrative Law that calls for a target of 25 per cent. representation in the Transitional National Assembly by women. The stipulation in the electoral law that every third candidate on election lists should be female bodes well in this regard. The Department for International Development, through its Political Participation Programme which is being administered by the British Council, is spending £5 million on helping Iraqi women's organisations participate in the elections.

Secondary information