§ Mr. PurchaseTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost of the investigation into the BMARC affair; and if he will publish the findings of the investigation. [32199]
§ Mr. Heathcoat-Amory[holding answer 11 June 1996]To date, the direct costs of the Customs investigation into alleged breaches of UK export controls by BMARC have been approximately £20,000. This figure is based on the National Investigation Services' time recording system. The figure does not include costs incurred by departmental management and legal advice provided by departmental lawyers, or the costs of giving evidence to the Trade and Industry Committee. Customs inquiries are, however, not yet complete and decisions on the form of any announcement on the outcome of these inquiries will be taken at the appropriate time.