HC Deb 26 May 1972 vol 837 cc521-2W
Mr. Deakins

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what evidence he has that West German businessmen are evading the sanctions against Rhodesia;

(2) if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of those firms and countries which have been reported by Her Majesty's Government to the United Nations Organisation for evading sanctions against Rhodesia.

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

Copies of the reports of the United Nations Sanctions Supervisory Committee—the Committee established in pursuance of Security Council Resolution 253—containing the texts of notes submitted by Her Majesty's Government about suspected violations of sanctions are available in the Library. It will be understood that while, for example, the fact that a particular product is on sale in Rhodesia isprima facie evidence of an evasion, such transactions pass through many hands and it is not of itself conclusive evidence that a particular firm is guilty of a breach. The same sort of problem arises in the case of exports from Rhodesia. Further investigation in each case is a matter for the United Nations Sanctions Supervisory Committee and the Government of the country concerned.