[Inkscape-user] Simple SVG editing (like combining two images) in batch mode?

Is it possible to use inkscape (if not, something else) to do simple SVG editing, like combining two images into one? So one can script it...

My typical use case is - I have collection of images and I need to generate their versions on a few different backgrounds. Doing it manually is very tedious.

With bitmaps Image::Magick works great, sth like $img->Read(picture); $img2->Read(background); $img2->Composite(image => $img, gravity => 'center'); $img2->Write(output) and I am done (here it is perl scripting, but that's not very important).

Any chance for something similar with SVG?