Mr. O'NeillTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the approximate number of times in the last 12 years that contracts have been agreed for the supply of non-lethal military equipment to(a) Libya, (b) Iraq and (c) South Africa.
§ Mr. AitkenIt has been the consistent policy of successive Governments not to discuss particulars of156W defence sales with other countries as these are matters of commercial confidentiality. However, the Government adhere to the EC embargo on the sale of military equipment and services to Libya and the United Nations embargos on South Africa and Iraq. The United Kingdom has, in fact, refused since 1984 to supply defence equipment or services to Iraq which could prolong the Iran-Iraq conflict.
Mr. O'NeillTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many Rolls-Royce Olympus and Proteus engines have been sold to(a) the Iranian navy and (b) the Iraqi navy in the last 13 years;
(2) what spare parts for Chieftain tanks have been supplied to (a) the Iranian Government, (b) the Iraqi Government and (c) the Jordanian Government in the last 13 years;
(3) how many air defence radars Plessey has sold to (a) the Iranian Government and (b) the Iraqi Government in the last 13 years;
(4) which British companies have sold mortar-locating radar to the Iraqi Government in the last 13 years.
§ Mr. AitkenIt has been the consistent policy of successive Governments not to discuss particulars of defence sales with other countries as these are matters of commercial confidentiality. I would add, however, that since 1984 the United Kingdom has refused to supply any equipment which could prolong or exacerbate the Iran-Iraq conflict, and since August 1990 has complied with the terms of the United Nations embargo on arms sales to Iraq.