§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his policy on the export of diphtheria, tetanus and yellow fever vaccines for Iraqi children.[103212]
§ Dr. Howells[holding answer 20 December 1999]: While the export from the United Kingdom of diphtheria, tetanus and yellow fever vaccines is not normally subject to control, the export from the UK to Iraq of any goods, unless under authority of an export licence, is prohibited by the Export of Goods (Control) (Iraq and Kuwait Sanctions) Order 1990 [SI 1990/1640], which came into force on 9 August 1990. All applications for a licence to export goods to Iraq are considered very carefully.
Vaccines for yellow fever and diphtheria vaccines are also covered by the Import and Export (ImpEx) mechanism established under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1051. This mechanism requires certain goods, as specified in a UN agreed list, to be subject to special controls, including the monitoring of their end use in Iraq by UNSCOM because they are capable of being used in weapons of mass destruction programmes; tetanus vaccines are not covered by the ImpEx mechanism.
Since UNSCOM officials left Iraq in December 1998, they have been unable to monitor the importation and end use of goods covered by the ImpEx mechanism. Applications for licences to export such goods to Iraq are therefore processed on a case-by-case basis and will be granted only if the Government is satisfied that the particular export would be subject to appropriate controls and monitoring in Iraq.