Dr. John CunninghamTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the effect in percentage terms in the amount of trade with Iraq following from business visits of Iraqi business men since February 1993.
§ Mr. Needham[holding answer 31 October 1994]None. Exports of foodstuffs, medicines and humanitarian goods to Iraq in 1993 totalled £12 million. For the first nine months of this year they were about £7.5 million. There have been no imports from Iraq in either year.
Dr. John CunninghamTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish the guidelines companies receive when applying for export licences for trade with Iraq.
§ Mr. Needham[holding answer 31 October 1994]No written guidelines are issued to companies about exports to Iraq from the United Kingdom, but each proposed export to Iraq is dealt with individually by the Department's sanctions unit.
All exports to Iraq from the United Kingdom require authorisation from the United Nations Sanctions Committee and an export licence from the DTI. Companies must therefore complete a form provided by the United Nations Sanctions Committee giving details for their proposed exports. The form is sent out to any company who intends to export goods and any query that it may have can be discussed with the sanctions unit.