HC Deb 24 April 1995 vol 258 cc394-5W
Mr. Wilson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those occasions on which the right hon. Member for Thanet, South (Mr. Aitken) had meetings with the Makhzoumi brothers or their representatives while a Minister in his Department, (a) in property owned or occupied by the Ministry of Defence and (b) elsewhere. [20325]

Mr. Freeman

Our records show that the right hon. Member for Thanet, South, while he was Minister for Defence Procurement, met Mr. Fouad Makhzoumi on 25 February 1993 at a dinner held at the Dorchester hotel in honour of the Lebanese Minister of Information; on 20 October 1993 in the Ministry of Defence, main building,Whitehall; and on the 17 November 1993 when he briefly joined a dinner party at the Dorchester hotel given in honour of the Lebanese chief of the naval staff. Officials were present on all these occasions.

Other meetings with the Makhazoumi brothers or their representatives, not on MOD business, held outside property owned or occupied by the Ministry of Defence and without civil servants, are a matter for the right hon. Member for Thanet, South.

Mr. Wilson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in which contracts notified to his Department, for the export of military or security-related equipment from Britain to the Lebanon, the Makhzoumi brothers have been involved as principals or intermediaries, since 1 January 1992. [20326]

Mr. Freeman

My Department has no record of export contracts for licensable military or security equipment with the Makhzoumi brothers or any of their companies. It is for companies to decide on whether and whom to employ as advisers or intermediaries.

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