§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Attorney-General whether he contemplates any action against British companies named by the US Government who have allegedly been trading in weapons with the Iraqi Government.
§ The Attorney-GeneralI refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 15 April by the Secretary of State for220W Trade and Industry to the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight (Mr. Field), Official Report, columns 30–31. The list published by the United States Department of the Treasury concerned a number of companies and individuals whom the director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control had determined to be owned or controlled by or to be acting or purporting to act directly or indirectly on behalf of the Government of Iraq. I am informed that the US authorities have not alleged that those on the list have broken sanctions or controls on the export of arms. A very few cases concerning persons or companies in the United Kingdom where possible breaches of restrictions on exports to Iraq have come to light are being investigated by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.