The Foreign Affairs Committee has launched an inquiry into the UK Government’s policy on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in the wider Iraqi and regional context. It would welcome submissions of evidence which address in particular:
- The implications for UK foreign policy of the existence of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the development of its relations with the rest of Iraq and with neighbouring countries
- The role of the UK Government in facilitating the development of a relationship between the Kurdistan Region and the rest of Iraq which helps to realise the economic potential of both and to strengthen security and democratic government in Iraq and the wider region
- The UK Governments approach to trade and investment with, in and from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and the priorities that should be pursued there by the Prime Minister’s new Trade Envoy to Iraq, Lady Nicholson of Winterbourne
- The financial and other assistance being offered in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and associated public bodies (including the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and the British Council) to support the further development of parliamentary and governance capacity, democratic institutions (including a free media), civil society and the rights of ethnic and religious minorities, and to promote cultural and educational links with the UK
- How the FCO is organising its presence and resources in Iraq, in the light of the developing relationship between the Kurdistan Region and the rest of the country.
Interested groups or individuals are encouraged to send written submissions, which should be received by the Committee no later than Friday 28 March 2014.
Please note: Submissions should be made using the web portal on the Foreign Affairs Committee website. Please click the link here: Submit written evidence online. If you have difficulty using the portal or if there is a particular reason why you would prefer to use a different method for sending a submission, please contact Committee staff.
Form of written evidence:
Submissions should not normally be longer than 3,000 words. Ideally, each submission should contain:
- a short summary, perhaps in bullet point form;
- a brief introduction about the person or organisation submitting evidence, perhaps explaining their area of expertise or experience;
- any factual information from which the Committee might be able to draw conclusions, or which could be put to other witnesses; and
- any recommendations for action by the Government or others which the submitter would like the Committee to consider for inclusion in its report to the House.
It is helpful to the Committee if the main body of the submission uses numbered paragraphs.
Submissions should be in MS Word format (we cannot process PDFs) with no use of colour or logos.
Guidance on submitting written evidence and data protection information is available here: Guidance on submitting written evidence
Inquiry-related questions:
Please contact Su Panchanathan: 0207 219 6105
Media enquiries:
Members of the press with enquiries should contact Alex Paterson, Select Committee Media Officer, on 020 7219 1589 or 07917 488488, or by email to [email protected]
Follow the Committee on Twitter: @CommonsForeign
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Committee Membership is as follows:
Rt Hon Sir Richard Ottaway (Chair) (Croydon South), Conservative; Mr John Baron (Basildon and Billericay), Conservative; Rt Hon Sir Menzies Campbell (North East Fife), Liberal Democrat; Rt Hon Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley), Labour; Mike Gapes (Ilford South), Labour; Mark Hendrick (Preston), Labour; Sandra Osborne (Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock), Labour; Andrew Rosindell (Romford), Conservative; Mr Frank Roy (Motherwell and Wishaw), Labour; Rt Hon Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge and Malling), Conservative; Rory Stewart (Penrith and The Border), Conservative
Specific Committee Information: Tel: 020 7219 6105; email: [email protected]
Media Information: Alex Paterson: [email protected]; 020 7219 1589 or 07917 488488
Committee Website: www.parliament.uk/facom
