Iraq: Medical Supplies (Hansard, 13 July 1999)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)
My Lords, there is no prohibition on sending medical supplies by post to Iraq on a non-commercial basis provided that a licence is first obtained. Security Council Resolutions 661 and 687, which imposed sanctions on Iraq, made exceptions to the prohibition on exports to Iraq. Medical supplies were included within those exceptions. Resolution 666 recommends that governments strictly supervise the export of medical supplies. The Government implement those resolutions by licensing arrangements.

§ Lord Islwyn
My Lords, will the Minister recognise that in Iraq 5,000 children under the age of five are dying each month, many suffering from stunted growth due to chronic and long-term malnutrition? Yet before 1990 Iraq's health standards were among the highest in the Middle East. Will the Minister appreciate that sanctions are a most insidious form of warfare, for they target the poorest, weakest and vulnerable of the population? Even when ordinary citizens of this country, some from Wales with whom I am in contact, try to help by sending medical supplies, toys and pencils for school children, they have to obtain an export licence and are subjected to inordinate delay. Surely the Minister will recognise that whatever the inequities of Saddam Hussein might be, the sanctions are uncivilised and should be ended without further delay?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, I am extremely sorry to say that I cannot agree with my noble friend. I explained in my initial Answer why the export licences are required. The Government must strictly supervise the export of medical supplies. While my noble friend points to the dreadful number of children dying in Iraq, I ask him to draw to the attention of his friends in Wales who are trying to help the fact that Iraq is selling food to Syria and is trying to sell food to Jordan.
Since January, Iraq has imported more than 5,000 cases of whisky and more than 53,000 cartons of cigarettes. The funds used to purchase those goods could have been used to purchase humanitarian goods, but the Iraqi Government chose otherwise.

§ Lord Moynihan
My Lords, in the light of the consideration of the UK/Netherlands draft resolution by the Security Council, can the Minister confirm that, while allowing the expansion of the oil-for-food programme on the basis of humanitarian need, the Government will not agree to any suspension or lifting of sanctions in the absence of Iraq's full compliance with its obligations under all existing Security Council resolutions?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, I believe that I can confirm the position which the noble Lord, Lord Moynihan, articulates. The purpose of our draft resolution is to be as generous as we can in proposing measures aimed at bringing more revenue through the oil-for-food programme in order to meet the 171 humanitarian needs, while at the same time not sacrificing any of the issues on which we have fought so hard as regards weapons of mass destruction.

The Earl Listowel
My Lords, are the Government at all concerned with the effects of uranium depleted rounds on the general population of Iraq? Has there been any recent research into the consequences of their use?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, of course the Government are always concerned about the effect of the use of depleted uranium. I can tell the House that the UK Government have not used any such weapons at any time during the recent exchanges with Iraq.

§ Viscount Waverley
My Lords, is there a Europe/US divide in Iraqi policy and the need for articulation on priorities and trade off, not least to show solidarity with the Iraqi people?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, I hope that it has been noticed that the draft resolution to which I referred was drawn up by us and the Netherlands. We now have five more co-sponsors. The US supports our overall approach. However, the US would like to see some further changes in the text. As with amendments proposed by others, we and our co-sponsors are considering them. I stress that while we often try to ensure that we keep a proper relationship with the US, given the fact that both countries have been engaged in the exchanges with Iraq, there is no question that the United Kingdom is in charge of its own policy as regards that country.

§ The Earl of Sandwich
My Lords, will the noble Baroness join me in paying tribute to the memory of the late Earl of Winchilsea and Nottingham, who personally carried medical supplies into Iraq, as he had already done to the Spanish Sahara? Does she agree that the personal commitment of individuals and voluntary organisations should be encouraged wherever possible when governments are unable to communicate?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, I am happy to join the noble Earl, Lord Sandwich, in that tribute. Many of us heard the heart-rending account that Lord Winchilsea gave to the House of his experiences in a children's hospital in Iraq. That personal commitment and first-hand experience is very important, because it often gives us the human perspective that we need when dealing with such issues.