HL Deb 01 June 1998 vol 590 cc18-9WA
Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether MI5 or MI6 have been able to inform them as effectively about Israeli nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programmes as about Iranian and Iraqi (as described by the Foreign Secretary on 23 April); and, if not, why not. [HL1957]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

The Foreign Secretary, in his speech on 23 April, paid tribute to the work of the intelligence agencies in a number of areas. He also said that the results of the intelligence agencies' work cannot speak for themselves, and that we cannot proclaim their achievements if we want them to remain effective.