§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has regarding maintenance clauses in contracts involving British companies and the supply of military equipment and spare parts to Argentina; and if all such maintenance clauses were agreed upon before the Falklands conflict.
§ Mr. Butler[pursuant to his reply, 17 January 1985, c. 186]: Maintenance clauses in such contracts are not subject to approval by Her Majesty's Government, and a number of companies will have legal obligations for maintenance for equipment sold to Argentina before the Falklands Conflict. As far as I am aware no contracts have been signed since.
There has been an embargo on the supply of defence and defence related equipment direct to Argentina since the beginning of 1982. Although this embargo does not extend to certain spare parts, there is no record of any trade in these with Argentina.