HL Deb 09 February 1987 vol 484 cc421-2

2.43 p.m.

Lord Molloy

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have been consulted by the United States Government about the advisability of supplying arms to Iran in return for help in releasing American prisoners in Lebanon.

The Minister of State for Defence Procurement (Lord Trefgarne)

No, my Lords.

Lord Molloy

My Lords, is the Minister aware that that is a result of the exceedingly myopic policy held by this Government? Is he further aware that the abandonment by our ally the United States of its former policy of having nothing to do with terrorists in this context has caused grave disruption within the United States itself and, equally, grave anxiety in Europe? Perhaps the United Kingdom Government could ask the United States to consider the appalling upset that it has caused by the abandonment of its former policy.

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, it seems to me that the cause of the difficulty to which the noble Lord has referred is the fact that hostages were taken in the first place. The right way forward, therefore, would be for those hostages to be released.

Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos

My Lords, would the noble Lord be kind enough to tell the House what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government about the sale of arms to Iran? Have arms or any defence equipment been sold to Iran by companies in this country? Is it true, for example, that Plessey has entered into a contract to sell air defence radar to Iran? If that is the case can he tell the House how Her Majesty's Government justify this, in view of the fact that the Government have frequently said that their great wish is to see the Gulf War coming to an end?

Secondly, can he say whether the Government are satisfied that we are kept fully informed by the United States of its policy in the Middle East?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, our policy on the sale of defence equipment to Iran—and to Iraq too, for that matter, because they are both locked in a most unhappy conflict, as the noble Lord will know—is well known. As part of our scrupulously maintained impartiality in this conflict we refuse to sell to either side defence equipment which will significantly enhance their capability to prolong or exacerbate the conflict. The detailed guidelines were set out by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in another place on 29th October 1985, and those guidelines remain in force.

The noble Lord asked me about Plessey radar. I can confirm that a proposal from Plessey to sell static AR3D radar to Iran does not breach our strict guidelines for defence sales to Iran and Iraq. The installations would be set up on permanent sites along Iran's northern and eastern borders facing the Soviet Union.

Lord Molloy

My Lords, is the noble Lord saying that where one member of NATO indulges in an activity that could possibly result in armed conflict, this Government will never make representations either to NATO generally or to the country involved?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I do not think I said any such thing.

Lord Kennet

My Lords, can the Government tell the House anything about the means they propose to use to ensure that the Plessey radar is indeed installed along the northern and eastern frontiers of Iran and not along the western frontier?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I do not think I can go any further than to say that that project has been found to be wholly in accordance with our policy, and naturally we shall ensure that the necessary assurances are in place.