That this House notes with concern the distress felt by many United Kingdom armed forces veterans following recent public comments relating to military operations in Afghanistan and the Middle East; recognises that such remarks have reopened trauma and grief for those who served and for the families of the fallen; highlights unequivocally that the service of British troops in war was marked by courage, professionalism and the highest standards of conduct; pays particular tribute to those who lost their lives in service, including Army Medic Channing Day, who was killed while serving in Afghanistan; and emphasises the untainted reputation of the brave men and women who have served, past and present, on the front lines in defence of the United Kingdom and its allies.

That this House notes with concern the distress felt by many United Kingdom armed forces veterans following recent public comments relating to military operations in Afghanistan and the Middle East; recognises that such remarks have reopened trauma and grief for those who served and for the families of the fallen;...

That this House supports the Government’s recent agreement with the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq on migration, trafficking, and drug smuggling; further supports ever deeper diplomatic efforts by the UK and its allies to strengthen relations with Iraqi Kurdistan across diplomatic, military, educational, cultural, and business spheres; suggests that every effort be made by the UK and our allies to strengthen relations between Erbil and Baghdad for their mutual benefit and on the basis of the federal constitution agreed by the Iraqi people in the 2005 referendum; notes that such efforts, as elsewhere in the world, can foster greater prosperity and political stability through reform, including to tackle corruption and sustainably diversify the economy; and further notes that this can also reduce the push factors for migration to the UK.

That this House supports the Government’s recent agreement with the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq on migration, trafficking, and drug smuggling; further supports ever deeper diplomatic efforts by the UK and its allies to strengthen relations with Iraqi Kurdistan across diplomatic, military, educational, cultural, and business spheres; suggests that every...

That this House notes that amendments to Iraq's Personal Status Law would undermine the constitutional sovereignty of law, replace a common national identity with religious jurisprudence on family law, and create a parallel legislative authority alongside Parliament through fatwas and rulings from religious endowments; further notes that new laws could lower the minimum age of marriage for females from 18 to nine, allow and even encourage marriage outside the present legal framework and without witnesses, deny alimony to the wife unless she accepts the physical desires of her husband, deny maternal rights of custody after the child reaches the age of two or after breast feeding, and remove restrictions on polygamy; supports the campaigns of the Iraqi Women’s League and others; and urges all friends of Iraq to use their influence to prevent such retrograde steps that could undermine the equality of all before the law, violate Iraq’s international obligations on women’s fundamental rights, prompt an increasingly negative international reputation, and reduce foreign assistance.

That this House notes that amendments to Iraq's Personal Status Law would undermine the constitutional sovereignty of law, replace a common national identity with religious jurisprudence on family law, and create a parallel legislative authority alongside Parliament through fatwas and rulings from religious endowments; further notes that new laws could...

That this House remains extremely concerned about the treatment of minorities in Iraq and parts of Syria by ISIL (also known as Daesh), and in particular the persecution of Yezidi women who have been brutally targeted since August 2014 and continue to be held in ISIL captivity in large numbers as part of ISIL's ruthless attempts to eliminate non-Arab and non-Sunni Muslims in the area; is appalled by the evidence of abuses against these women including enslavement, torture and tape; notes the recently released Report of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights which concludes that the acts committed by ISIL against the Yezidi minority might constitute genocide; also notes the traumatising effects of these abuses, which have caused some women and girls to commit suicide; and calls on the Government and its international partners to increase humanitarian efforts to protect Yezidi women, and minority communities more generally, in the region, to do more to locate and release women held captive, to improve protection and facilities for those women who have been released or have escaped, and to assist in gathering evidence for use in future prosecutions of the perpetrators.

That this House remains extremely concerned about the treatment of minorities in Iraq and parts of Syria by ISIL (also known as Daesh), and in particular the persecution of Yezidi women who have been brutally targeted since August 2014 and continue to be held in ISIL captivity in large numbers...

That this House notes the appeal from Labour Solidarity with Kurds for an urgent and significant increase in support to people defending the world against the vilest fascism of our age in the form of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS); further notes that this appeal supports the use of British jets in air strikes against ISIS in Syria and Iraq; asks that heavy weapons are dispatched to Kurdish forces in Kobani and in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq; recognises that Kurds and Iraqis will play the most decisive role in ground operations, are not currently asking for the assistance of British and other western ground troops but that a global fight of this kind cannot rule this out in the future; acknowledges the strength of their appeal for increased aid to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to cope with the strain of over a million refugees from Syria and internally displaced people from Arab Iraq, and for the Iraqi government in Baghdad to end the economic blockade against the Kurdistan Region; and believes that such views should command support on the right, centre and left of the British political spectrum.

That this House notes the appeal from Labour Solidarity with Kurds for an urgent and significant increase in support to people defending the world against the vilest fascism of our age in the form of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS); further notes that this appeal supports the use of British...

That this House believes that Iran's theocratic regime is the source of the spread of terrorism and barbaric extremism in Iraq and region; concurs with the President-elect of the Iranian Resistance Maryam Rajavi's advice that the UK should urge the ending of the Iranian theocratic regime meddling in the affairs of Iraq, Syria and other countries in the region, the formation of a democratic, inclusive, secular government in Iraq and the organisation of free and fair elections under the auspices of international organisations; further believes that the rejection of Iran's intervention by the new Iraqi government is vital for the promotion of democracy in that country and that a good indication of this is the way it treats Ashraf residents now at Camp Liberty near Baghdad; and urges the government of Iraq to lift the current inhumane siege on the camp, recognising this camp as a UN refugee camp and guarantee the safety, security and the rights of its residents.

That this House believes that Iran's theocratic regime is the source of the spread of terrorism and barbaric extremism in Iraq and region; concurs with the President-elect of the Iranian Resistance Maryam Rajavi's advice that the UK should urge the ending of the Iranian theocratic regime meddling in the affairs...

That this House is extremely concerned about the genocidal campaign being waged against minorities in Iraq by the Islamic State (IS) and notes with alarm the evidence recently collected by Amnesty International about IS's brutal campaign to obliterate all trace of non-Arabs and non-Sunni Muslims that has turned the area into blood-soaked killing fields; is shocked by the barbaric treatment of Yazidi and other ethnic and religious minority women kidnapped by IS, particularly reports of women being reportedly gang-raped and sold into sexual slavery; calls on the Government and the international community to take further measures to help secure the release of those held by IS and to assist those at imminent risk of being captured and those facing extreme hardship in refugee camps in Iraq and Syria, including offering to resettle the most vulnerable; and further calls on the Government and the international community to assist in collecting and preserving evidence of these atrocities so that the perpetrators can ultimately be brought to justice.

That this House is extremely concerned about the genocidal campaign being waged against minorities in Iraq by the Islamic State (IS) and notes with alarm the evidence recently collected by Amnesty International about IS's brutal campaign to obliterate all trace of non-Arabs and non-Sunni Muslims that has turned the area...

That this House welcomes the powerful appeal by the UK Kurdish Genocide Task Force, a group that includes legal and academic experts and hon. Members, for signatories to the 1948 Genocide Convention and Member States of the United Nations to act to end, prosecute and punish acts of genocide and crimes against humanity against Yezidi Kurds, Assyrian Christians, Shabaks and Kakayis committed by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS); endorses the need for a fact-finding commission of experts to collect eye-witness evidence and prepare a timely record to establish whether the prima facie evidence justifies the international recognition of the above-mentioned acts as genocide and/or crimes against humanity and prosecution of those responsible; notes that the Kurdistan Regional Government is willing to share all evidence in its possession and to provide all assistance within its capability to such a fact-finding commission; believes that the United Nations Security Council should pass a resolution referring the acts committed by ISIS as a new situation to the International Criminal Court; further notes that the international law principle of the Responsibility to Protect obliges individual states and the international community to take effective measures to prevent the commission of genocide and crimes against humanity, if necessary by appropriate military intervention or support of the local forces combating ISIS; and urges the Government to join with others in pursuing these matters with alacrity.

That this House welcomes the powerful appeal by the UK Kurdish Genocide Task Force, a group that includes legal and academic experts and hon. Members, for signatories to the 1948 Genocide Convention and Member States of the United Nations to act to end, prosecute and punish acts of genocide and...

That this House deeply regrets the delayed publication of the Iraq Inquiry report which has deprived the victims of the Iraq conflict of their right to hear the inquiry's conclusions on the conduct of those who demanded their sacrifice and deprived the UK Parliament and people, at a time of renewed turmoil in Iraq and crisis in the Middle East, of its assessment of the lessons learnt; notes that the delay is attributable to official demands that the inquiry censor the evidence it wished to cite in support of its conclusions; considers that such censorship was unnecessary given that the inquiry's task was to report to the Prime Minister of the day; therefore urges the inquiry to submit a full and uncensored report to the Prime Minister to be used as the basis for the Maxwellisation process for those criticised; and calls on the Prime Minister to assume his responsibility for arranging presentation of the report to Parliament and publication before the end of 2014.

That this House deeply regrets the delayed publication of the Iraq Inquiry report which has deprived the victims of the Iraq conflict of their right to hear the inquiry's conclusions on the conduct of those who demanded their sacrifice and deprived the UK Parliament and people, at a time of...

That this House recalls with repugnance the biggest single chemical weapons attack on civilians which was inflicted by the forces of Saddam Hussein on the town of Halabja in Iraqi Kurdistan on 16 March 1988; further recalls that 5,000 men, women and children died immediately and many more thousands of people died later or were permanently injured, physically and psychologically; believes that this attack was part of a long-running policy of genocide against the Kurds of Iraq; and further believes that, in the absence of any likely national or international judicial process after so many years, the Government should follow the example of the House which, on 28 February 2013, formally recognised this action as genocide.

That this House recalls with repugnance the biggest single chemical weapons attack on civilians which was inflicted by the forces of Saddam Hussein on the town of Halabja in Iraqi Kurdistan on 16 March 1988; further recalls that 5,000 men, women and children died immediately and many more thousands of...

That this House is aware of the tragic events that took place in Camp Ashraf in the early morning of 1 September 2013, when an armed raid led by Iraqi forces who needlessly slaughtered at least 52 persons and kidnapped a number of other people who remain hostages; condemns unreservedly the actions which led to these deaths, with many of the deceased appearing to have died of gunshot wounds, the majority of which were to the head and upper body and several with their hands tied; reminds the Iraqi government of its human rights responsibilities and that those killed and taken were protected persons under the terms of the Geneva Convention; and demands the safe release of those held and an immediate and full inquiry into these actions.

That this House is aware of the tragic events that took place in Camp Ashraf in the early morning of 1 September 2013, when an armed raid led by Iraqi forces who needlessly slaughtered at least 52 persons and kidnapped a number of other people who remain hostages; condemns unreservedly...

That this House warmly welcomes the historic resolution of 28 February 2013 to unanimously recognise the Kurdish genocide; further welcomes the constructive responses to the mood of the House by both the Foreign Office Minister and his Opposition counterpart in agreeing to work together and with Kurdistan regional government representatives to try to overcome legal obstacles and find a suitable pathway for recognition by the Government; believes that the debate showed Parliament at its best with compassion, honesty and compromise; and hopes that these discussions can allow the Government, which is deeply respected in the Kurdistan region, to help lead the way in bringing comfort and justice to its people whose lives and society remain deeply affected by the genocide, which will be marked in many places, including by British parliamentarians in the Kurdistan region itself, on the anniversary of the chemical bombardment of Halabja on 16 March 2013.

That this House warmly welcomes the historic resolution of 28 February 2013 to unanimously recognise the Kurdish genocide; further welcomes the constructive responses to the mood of the House by both the Foreign Office Minister and his Opposition counterpart in agreeing to work together and with Kurdistan regional government representatives...

That this House notes that 15 February 2013 marks 10 years since the largest ever political demonstration in UK history, with between one and two million people marching in London against the then-imminent Iraq war; further notes that anti-war protests involving many millions of people took place that day across the world; deeply regrets that the war went ahead and that the will of the people was ignored; and believes that any decision to engage in armed conflict should be subject to prior approval via a free vote by Parliament rather than relying on prerogative power.

That this House notes that 15 February 2013 marks 10 years since the largest ever political demonstration in UK history, with between one and two million people marching in London against the then-imminent Iraq war; further notes that anti-war protests involving many millions of people took place that day across...

That this House notes that the British Army maintains depleted uranium (DU) munitions within its arsenal and that 1.9 tonnes of DU rounds were fired by UK forces during Operation Telic in Iraq; recognises continuing media reports of increased rates of certain cancers and congenital malformations in Iraq; acknowledges that the UN Environment Programme has repeatedly called for a precautionary approach to DU use after field investigations in the Balkans and Iraq; recalls that the British Royal Society and World Health Organisation both recommend precautionary measures to reduce post-conflict DU risks; recalls the Government's policy on radioactive discharges which considers that the unnecessary introduction of radioactivity into the environment is undesirable; further notes that precautionary guidelines are in place for British troops to reduce their likelihood of DU exposure and that DU is not used in live firing training on British soil; and calls on the Government to support the resolution to be put before the UN General Assembly this autumn calling on states to take a precautionary approach to the use of DU.

That this House notes that the British Army maintains depleted uranium (DU) munitions within its arsenal and that 1.9 tonnes of DU rounds were fired by UK forces during Operation Telic in Iraq; recognises continuing media reports of increased rates of certain cancers and congenital malformations in Iraq; acknowledges that...

That this House notes with sadness the passing of Brian Haw, whose protest camp in Parliament Square, initially against the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and then all wars, has stood for a decade and resisted all legal and political challenges to its existence; supports the principles behind the protest camp and regards its existence as a formidable example of the possibilities for peaceful dissent at a time when civil liberties are being eroded and military power is being employed over negotiated peace; further notes Mr Haw's relentless discipline in ensuring that he be seen by hon. Members going about their business every day as a constant reminder of the consequences of their decisions for the lives of thousands of innocent people and subsequent generations; further notes the political inspiration that he was to so many, with his handcrafted placards about the innocent lives lost as a result of war; trusts that his inspiration lives on as an influence to those in Parliament who make the decisions, and to the public whose role it is to hold decisionmakers in Parliament to account so that they might work toward bringing about peace in their time; and calls for a fitting permanent memorial to be established in Parliament.

That this House notes with sadness the passing of Brian Haw, whose protest camp in Parliament Square, initially against the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and then all wars, has stood for a decade and resisted all legal and political challenges to its existence; supports the principles behind the protest camp...

That this House notes the recent visit by the Archbishop of Erbil Bashar Warda to Parliament as a guest of the All-Party Parliamentary group on the Kurdistan Region in Iraq as part of his first visit to the UK hosted by the charity Aid to the Church in Need; further notes his assessment that, in response to violent attacks from 2003, many Iraqi Christians from Baghdad and Mosul have fled to Iraqi Kurdistan, where they have been welcomed by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which has established an emergency programme to handle the sudden influx and where there is no religious persecution of Christians; endorses his view that the KRG requires help from the federal government in Baghdad for specific projects and infrastructure for these Iraqi citizens; understands that Kurdistan Regional President Barzani is also seeking wider international support for his government's efforts to protect Christians; and respectfully urges the Iraqi federal government to discuss this asa matter of urgency with the KRG in order to help preserve the position of Christians in Iraq.

That this House notes the recent visit by the Archbishop of Erbil Bashar Warda to Parliament as a guest of the All-Party Parliamentary group on the Kurdistan Region in Iraq as part of his first visit to the UK hosted by the charity Aid to the Church in Need; further...

That this House expresses concern regarding human rights violations of the ancient Sabian Mandaeans religious group in Iraq; condemns the ethnic cleansing and systematic torture of this group as well as other minority religious groups in Iraq forcing them to become refugees; notes the recent deaths of Catholic priests and over 52 worshippers in Baghdad who were shot dead during a mass; further condemns the treatment of young children who are tortured and raped because of their religious background; believes all Iraqi religious groups and ethnicities should retain their human right to religious freedom and their right tojustice, equality, fairness and an end to discrimination and violence; and calls on the Prime Minister and the Government to raise the issue of human rights of Iraqi minority religious groups with the government of Iraq.

That this House expresses concern regarding human rights violations of the ancient Sabian Mandaeans religious group in Iraq; condemns the ethnic cleansing and systematic torture of this group as well as other minority religious groups in Iraq forcing them to become refugees; notes the recent deaths of Catholic priests and...