§ Mr. CabornTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many approaches were made to his Department by Walter Somers querying the Iraqi order for equipment in respect of the supergun.
§ Mr. Lilley[holding answer 11 December 1990]: Three: two directly and one indirectly on its behalf.
§ Mr. CabornTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the technical specifications 413W of the steel ordered for the pipes intended for Iraq that were the subject of correspondence between his Department and Sheffield Forgemasters in July 1988.
§ Mr. Lilley[holding answer 11 December 1990]: No. It is not the practice to reveal details of individual licensing inquiries.
§ Mr. CabornTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action his Department took when it was first made aware of the pipeline equipment built in the United Kingdom for Iraq having possible military implications.
§ Mr. Lilley[holding answer 11 December 1990]: When the military implications of the equipment became clear the Department responsible for taking action was HM Customs and Excise. That Department acted with commendable swiftness to prevent the export of the equipment.
§ Mr. CabornTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date his Department first became aware that an Iraqi export order was for military equipment.
§ Mr. Lilley[holding answer 11 December 1990]: My Department first became aware that the Iraqi export order for steel tubes was for military equipment in April this year.
§ Mr. CabornTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether officials of his Department made any statement or communication to the press prior to 18 April indicating his Department's opinion on whether the pipes impounded on Teesside by Her Majesty's Customs were for military purposes.
§ Mr. Lilley[holding answer 11 December 1990]: No.
§ Mr. CabornTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) when his Department saw the contract involving Sheffield Forgemasters for the Iraqi order;
(2) whether, on receipt of the Forgemasters contract for the Iraqi order placed in 1988, his Department called for any further information from the company.
§ Mr. Lilley[holding answer 11 December 1990]: My Department has not seen the contract to which the questions refer.
§ Mr. CabornTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the Government's shareholding via British Steel in Sheffield Forgemasters when the order for the Iraqi gun was first placed with Forgemasters.
§ Mr. Lilley[holding answer 11 December 1990]: In June 1988 the Government's shareholding via British Steel in Sheffield Forgemasters was 50 per cent.
§ Mr. CabornTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the day on which his Department was first made aware of the military implications of the Iraqi contract with Sheffield Forgemasters and Walter Somers.
§ Mr. Lilley[holding answer 11 December 1990]: My Department was first made aware of the military implications of the Iraqi contract with Sheffield Forgemasters and Walter Somers in April of this year.
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§ Mr. CabornTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many letters his Department sent in 1988 to Forgemasters about whether an export licence for the Iraqi contract was required; and what were the Department's conclusions on this matter.
§ Mr. Lilley[holding answer 11 December 1990]: One letter was sent; on the basis of information provided by the company it was concluded that no licence was required.