§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library copies of the letters of 30 November 1995, 18 December 1995 and 26 August 1996 from the chairman of the United Nations special commission on arms supplies to Rwanda to the 637W international liaison sector of United Kingdom Customs and Excise; and if he will include the replies to the letters. [7524]
§ Mr. OppenheimIt is not the normal practice of the commissioners of Customs and Excise to disclose publicly information provided to them in connection with their enforcement and investigation responsibilities. The letters from the United Nations special commission contain details provided in confidence to the United Kingdom's customs. Customs has, however, obtained the permission of the commission to make public this material. I am arranging for copies of these letters to be placed in the House Library.
When customs received copies of the letters dated 30 November 1995 and 18 December 1995, in November 1996, it found them to be requests relating to customs investigations which had already been the subject of discussions between customs investigators and commission officials on 10 January 1996. The letter of 26 August 1996 recalled the two earlier ones. Customs investigators have been in contact with commission officials and no further response to the commission letters is needed. The commission has expressed complete satisfaction with the co-operation received from the UK Government.
It would be inappropriate to discuss the material provided by customs in confidence to the UN commission. It is not customs' general practice to make public information about the existence or nature of any investigation of individuals or companies not yet accused of criminal offences, since to do so could risk prejudicing any on-going inquiries or future criminal prosecutions.