§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what United Kingdom origin equipment or material was found by the United Nations special inspection team in Iraq at(a) the Al-Musayyib high explosive test site, (b) the Al-Atheer facility for manufacture of implosion bomb detonation devices, (c) the Al-Furat centrifuge factory for uranium enrichment or (d) the Akaswat phosphate mine and uranium extraction plants.
§ Mr. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence those monitoring the United Nations sanctions against Iraq found of United Kingdom-manufactured computer equipment playing any part in Iraqi nuclear, chemical or biological weapon plans.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggWe are aware that the inspections in Iraq by the United Nations special commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency have revealed the names of many companies around the world which have traded with Iraq, including some from Britain. It is possible that more names will be revealed as time goes on. It is not our practice to comment in detail on the information given to us by the IAEA or UNSCOM.
Any evidence of wrongdoing will be urgently investigated and, if appropriate, will be a matter for the courts. However, it would be quite wrong to conclude, without further analysis, that the companies named have 454W behaved wrongfully. Until the invasion of Kuwait, trade with Iraq was not illegal provided strategic export controls were not breached.