§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the(a) outside agencies, (b) middlemen and (c) trading organisations that have been used in arms or equipment purchases connected with the Al-Yamamah project (i) prior to and (ii) after the awarding of the contract. [34033]
§ Mr. Spellar[holding answer 12 March 1998]: The British Government have not employed business agents, nor individuals, or organisations of the type described in the Question either prior to, or after, the award of the Al-Yamamah contract. Negotiations concerning the role of the British Government in the Al-Yamamah programme have been conducted by diplomats and civil servants in the normal way. Any use of agents by companies associated with Al-Yamamah is a matter for those companies, but the prime contractor, British Aerospace, has assured us that it operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of Saudi Arabia.