§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the letter sent by him to defence industry firms concerning Government policy on exports of defence equipment to Iran in(a) 1984 and (b) 1985. [18539]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotWe are aware of one letter sent by the Ministry of Defence to a UK defence manufacturer in 1985 which referred to new policy guidelines in relation to exports to Iran and Iraq. Very few papers exist from the two years in question and it is possible that other letters were sent by the Ministry of Defence at the time.