[Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini, Mini Pro, Xperia Pro, A] Ticklefish:
Try replacing your @id/icons LinearLayout with this:

<LinearLayout android:orientation="horizontal" android:id="@id/icons" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="fill_parent">
<LinearLayout android:orientation="horizontal" android:layout_width="0.0dip" android:layout_height="fill_parent" android:layout_weight="1.0">
<com.android.systemui.statusbar.IconMerger android:gravity="center_vertical" android:orientation="horizontal" android:id="@id/notificationIcons" android:paddingLeft="6.0dip" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="fill_parent"/>
<LinearLayout android:gravity="center_vertical" android:orientation="horizontal" android:id="@id/statusIcons" android:paddingRight="1.0dip" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="fill_parent" />
</LinearLayout>
<com.android.systemui.statusbar.CmSignalText android:textAppearance="@*android:style/TextAppearance.StatusBar.Icon" android:gravity="center_vertical" android:orientation="horizontal" android:paddingRight="2.0dip" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="fill_parent" />
<com.android.systemui.statusbar.CmBatteryText android:textAppearance="@*android:style/TextAppearance.StatusBar.Icon" android:gravity="center_vertical" android:orientation="horizontal" android:paddingRight="2.0dip" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="fill_parent" />
<com.android.systemui.statusbar.CmBatteryMiniIcon android:textAppearance="@*android:style/TextAppearance.StatusBar.Icon" android:gravity="center_vertical" android:orientation="horizontal" android:id="@id/CmBatteryMiniIcon" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="fill_parent" />
<com.android.systemui.statusbar.Clock android:textAppearance="@*android:style/TextAppearance.StatusBar.Icon" android:gravity="left|center" android:paddingRight="6.0dip" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="fill_parent" android:singleLine="true" />
<LinearLayout android:orientation="horizontal" android:id="@id/buttons" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="fill_parent">
<ImageButton android:id="@id/status_edge_left" android:background="@drawable/ic_statusbar_edge_right_bottom" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
<ImageButton android:id="@id/status_home" android:background="@drawable/ic_statusbar_home_bottom" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
<ImageButton android:id="@id/status_sep1" android:background="@drawable/ic_statusbar_sep_bottom" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
<ImageButton android:id="@id/status_menu" android:background="@drawable/ic_statusbar_menu_bottom" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
<ImageButton android:id="@id/status_sep2" android:background="@drawable/ic_statusbar_sep_bottom" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
<ImageButton android:id="@id/status_back" android:background="@drawable/ic_statusbar_back_bottom" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
<ImageButton android:id="@id/status_sep3" android:background="@drawable/ic_statusbar_sep_bottom" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
<ImageButton android:id="@id/status_search" android:background="@drawable/ic_statusbar_search_bottom" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
<ImageButton android:id="@id/status_sep4" android:background="@drawable/ic_statusbar_sep_bottom" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
<ImageButton android:id="@id/status_quick_na" android:background="@drawable/ic_statusbar_na_up_bottom" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
<ImageButton android:id="@id/status_sep5" android:background="@drawable/ic_statusbar_sep_bottom" android:visibility="gone" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
<ImageButton android:id="@id/status_hide" android:background="@drawable/ic_statusbar_hide_bottom" android:visibility="gone" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
<ImageButton android:id="@id/status_edge_right" android:background="@drawable/ic_statusbar_edge_left_bottom" android:visibility="gone" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>

This basically bundles the notification icons and status icons together.