Kuwait (Hansard, 15 April 1991)

§ Mr. Dalyell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the availability of smog masks in Kuwait.

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
Many people living and working in Kuwait have acquired smog masks. There is no difficulty in importing them from Saudi Arabia.

§ Mr. Dalyell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what knowledge he has of the effect of mixture of hydrocarbons and chlorine in the drinking water in Kuwait.

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
Environmental damage to drinking water supplies and the build-up of hydrocarbons in the food chain in Kuwait are elements proposed as part of the comprehensive environmental assessment now being carried out by the United Nations Environment Programme together with other United Nations agencies.

§ Mr. Dalyell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what knowledge he has of the countries to which substantial numbers of the population of Kuwait have fled since the end of the war.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
Many of those who were resident in Kuwait at the time of the Iraqi invasion have not yet returned. We have no information about residents who have left Kuwait since 28 February.
The ICRC, International Committee of the Red Cross, which has a delegation in Kuwait, is in touch with the Kuwaiti Government about the position of foreign communities, including those who may wish to leave the country.

§ Mr. Dalyell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what knowledge he has of the build-up of hydrocarbons in the food chain in Kuwait.

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
Environmental damage to drinking water supplies and the build-up of hydro-carbons in the food chain in Kuwait are elements proposed as part of the comprehensive environmental assessment now being carried out by the United Nations Environment Programme together with other UN agencies.

§ Mr. Dalyell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence he has of the effects of oil pollution on the lungs of sheep in Kuwait.

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
None.

§ Mr. Dalyell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about the diaspora of Palestinians from Kuwait since 1 March.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
We do not hold details of departures by Palestinian residents of Kuwait. We have repeatedly expressed our concern to Kuwaiti Ministers about reports of ill-treatment of Palestinians. ICRC representatives in Kuwait are now in touch with the Kuwaiti Government about their position.