§ Mr. CryerTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria was adopted in choosing the personnel in the United Nations special inspection team sent to Iraq, pursuant to United Nations Security Council resolution 687; how many members of the team are from the United Kingdom; and whether the United Kingdom has made any financial donation to support the work of the team.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggPersonnel for the inspection work undertaken in Iraq by the United Nations special commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency —IAEA— are chosen by the executive chairman of the special commission and the director general of the IAEA respectively. We understand that a number of factors are taken into account, primarily the need for professional expertise but also the desirability of as broad a geographical representation as practicable.
To date there have been nineteen inspections in Iraq. The United Kingdom has provided personnel for sixteen of these, in varying numbers. We have made available £1 million this financial year to pay for the provision of practical support.