§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what written guidelines exist to decide whether the advice of the Foreign Office or the Department of Trade and Industry should be obtained before approvals are given to defence export sales under Government-to-Government defence export agreements to which normal export licence procedures do not apply.
§ Mr. FreemanAll applications for defence exports under a Government-to-Government arrangement to which normal export licence procedures do not apply are circulated for advice to the FCO as laid down in an internal MOD manual. The DTI, in these cases, is not consulted because an export licence is not involved.
§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the defence export agreements memoranda of understanding contain a no-transfer without prior approval provision; and which do not.
684Wuse of chemical and biological weapons has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them.
3. The Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has analysed a total of 31 soil samples from Iraq collected on three occasions. Details of the dates on which these samples were collected, of their analysis and the findings are set out as follows:
§ Mr. FreemanDetails of Government-to-Government memoranda of understanding are confidential. However, it is normal practice to provide for a "no-transfer without prior approval" clause when they cover the sale of defence equipment.