HC Deb 19 July 2001 vol 372 c422W
Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance issued to British embassies requiring them to report contact with companies which may be judged to fall within the sector of mercenaries and private military companies; and on what date this guidance was issued. [3398]

Peter Hain

Interim guidance to British embassies requiring them to report contacts with companies that may be judged to fall into the private military or security sector was issued in July 1998. This guidance was revised in April 1999. Disclosure of the report could harm the proper and efficient conduct of the operations of this Department.