§ Mr. GardinerTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are being taken to investigate Imperial Defence for possible breaches of UK sanctions against Iraq. [111265]
§ John HealeyHM Customs & Excise are responsible for enforcing UK sanctions against Iraq. Customs are aware of a recent press report concerning Imperial Defence, in which there has been no suggestion of illegal acts.
It is not Customs' general practice to comment publicly about the existence or nature of any investigations of individuals or companies not yet accused of criminal offences, as to do so could risk prejudicing any investigations (whether actual or likely) or future legal proceedings; Exemption 4 (Law enforcement and legal proceedings) of the Open Government Code applies.