To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to support the development of democracy in Iraq.

​The UK supports the consolidation of democracy in Iraq through both diplomatic engagement and programme support. During my visit to Baghdad and Erbil in January, I welcomed the recent national elections and those in the Kurdistan region and encouraged swift completion of the formation of the Iraqi cabinet and Kurdistan Regional Government. We recently welcomed the Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament and a delegation of Iraqi MPs to the UK where they were able to witness British parliamentary processes and exchange experiences. As part of our programme assistance, the UK is helping the Government of Iraq in newly liberated areas and in Basra to make governance and the delivery of services more effective and responsive, so strengthening relations between local communities and the Iraqi authorities.