§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have studied the Zephyr report published in Holland on the methods by which goods are supplied to Rhodesia in contravention of United Nations sanctions.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE)My Lords, a copy has only recently been received. It is being studied.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for her reply. Was not this report published on November 2? Is it not a little extraordinary that it is only now being studied? Is it not the case that it revealed a conspiracy, centred in Rotterdam and involving Swiss banks, French air and shipping freightage companies, in transporting goods to Rhodesia from twenty countries, including eighteen British firms, so breaking the sanctions?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, if the noble Lord had seen the document I think he would realise why it takes time to study it. It is extremely bulky. Of course, we are primarily concerned not with what Dutch firms have done (which is the responsibility of the Dutch Government) but whether in fact any United Kingdom firms have breached sanctions.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, would not the noble Baroness agree that the sanction breaking that emerges from this report clearly implicates a number of European countries? Would the noble 182 Baroness undertake, once the Foreign Office have completed their studies, that a decision will be taken by Her Majesty's Government to refer this matter to the Council of Ministers of the European Economic Community, to see whether some concerted action can be taken in this matter?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, this is, of course, primarily the responsibility of the United Nations Sanctions Committee. It is well aware of this report, and is, I understand, considering a report of its own. So far as the E.E.C. is concerned, we have always found, in the past, that it is better to take up such matters bilaterally.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, while apreciating the need for careful study because this report is documented so heavily, may I ask the Minister whether it would be desirable to communicate with the British firms who, I believe, are innocent in this matter and only sending their goods to this international conspiracy? Is it not desirable that there should be a United Nations investigation into this matter, since the noble Baroness has recognised that this is a United Nations responsibility, as well as our own?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I understand that the United Nations is examining this particular problem. So far as British firms are concerned, it is very important for us, first of all, to study this material in detail before finding out whether British firms were so involved, in effect, that they knew that there was a possibility of breaking sanctions.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, may I come back to the answer the noble Baroness gave to my supplementary question? Would not the noble Baroness agree that if the Council of Ministers were to reach a decision, such a decision would be binding upon all the members of the E.E.C.; and since it would be to the interests of the E.E.C. to support the British Government in its sanctions against Rhodesia, would this not in itself be infinitely more effective than the bilateral approach the noble Baroness had in mind?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I understand that the E.E.C. as a whole is in fact tightening up its controls.