Al-Yamamah Contracts

HC Deb 10 January 1995 vol 252 cc111-2W

Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence through what agents the oil made available to him as part of the Al-Yamamah contracts was placed on the commodity markets; and what have been the transaction costs involved.

Mr. Freeman

Details of the funding arrangements for Al-Yamamah are a matter for the Saudi Arabian Government. It is not our practice to comment on detailed matters concerning individual defence exports sales.

Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if it was the practice to ask for end user certificates for defence exports supplied to Saudi Arabia under the Al-Yamamah contracts.

Mr. Freeman

Under the Al-Yamamah programme, equipment is supplied by the United Kingdom Government which has incorporated no-transfer provisions in the government-to-government memorandum of understanding covering the programme.