HC Deb 20 October 1995 vol 264 cc393-4W
Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Government received a copy of the United Nations special commission on Iraq report, made public on 11 October, on the scope of Iraq's biological and germ warfare programme and missile delivery system programme; and whether the report identified the involvement of any British companies in these programmes. [37662]

Mr. David Davis

The UNSCOM and IAEA reports were received on Wednesday, 11 October 1995. No British companies are identified in either of the reports.

Mr. Winnick

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the referendum held in Iraq. [38093]

Mr. Hanley

The so-called referendum which the Iraqi Government held on 15 October was a farcical attempt by Saddam Hussein to claim democratic legitimacy. The system of brutal oppression in Iraq makes it impossible to express opposition to Saddam. We hope Iraqis will one day be able freely to decide their own future, although it is hard to imagine how this could be possible while Saddam is in power. We support the efforts of the Iraqi National Congress to form a united, representative opposition to Saddam's regime.

Mr. Winnick

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken further to publicise the amount of oil that the Iraqi regime is allowed to sell abroad under United Nations sanctions policy; and what estimate he has made of the revenue accruing to the Iraqi Government from the sale of oil. [38094]

Mr. Hanley

We take every opportunity to urge Iraq to implement United Nations Security Council resolution 986, which would allow Iraq to export substantial amounts of oil in return for much-needed humanitarian supplies. Saddam Hussein must shoulder the responsibility for the suffering of the Iraqi people caused by his failure to do so. If the scheme were implemented, we estimate that Iraq could purchase approximately $2.5 billion of humanitarian supplies per annum. This compares with $5 billion spent on all civilian goods in 1989.