HL Deb 21 October 2003 vol 653 cc163-4WA
Baroness Whitaker

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have recently made any exemptions to the United Nations arms embargo on Iraq. [HL4872]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

Following consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence, the Department of Trade and Industry recently approved a further licence to export military list goods to Iraq. The arms embargo against Iraq remains in place under United Nations Security Council resolution 1483 (2003), with the exception of "arms and other related material required by the (Coalition Provisional) Authority to serve the purposes of this and other related resolutions". Accordingly, Her Majesty's Government consider it appropriate to grant exemptions for the export of submachine guns and pistols which are to be used by private security firms contracted to provide close protection for employees of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in Iraq. The export is consistent with the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria. Future applications will continue to be assessed on a case by case basis against the UN embargo and consolidated criteria, taking into account the circumstances prevailing at the time.