§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes have been made since the opening of the Scott inquiry into the criteria adopted by his Department in deciding whether to give substantive replies to parliamentary questions seeking details of arms or military equipment exports from the United Kingdom. [15971]
§ Mr. LangNo such changes have been made. It has been the policy of successive Administrations not to disclose details about export licences that have been issued. However, the Government have from time to time released such information in exceptional circumstances where it was clearly in the public interest. I refer the hon. Member to the statement that I made on Thursday 15 February,Official Report, columns 1139–44, in relation to Sir Richard Scott's recommendations on this matter.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to paragraph C 2.62 of the Scott report, if he will list the exports of(a) machine tools and 315W (b) other equipment sent to Iraq under temporary licences and subsequently incorporated into the Iraqi weapon producing system between 1980 and 1991. [17343]
§ Mr. LangI am not in a position to state with certainty what equipment was incorporated into the Iraqi weapon producing system. Sir Richard Scott addressed these issues in detail in sections D2.46 to D2.51, D6.55 to D6.72 and D6.194 to D6.220 of his report and I have nothing to add to his description of what equipment was sent to Iraq under temporary licences.
§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the members of his Department who saw the report of the Scott inquiry before it was presented to the House; and when each saw the report. [16539]
§ Mr. Lang[holding answer 22 February 1996]: A small number of civil servants in each of the main Departments concerned had access to the report prior to publication for the purpose of preparing the Government's response. Such access was in accordance with the conditions laid down by the Scott inquiry.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade when he first saw the report of the Scott inquiry. [16578]
§ Mr. HainTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the cost of the allocation of persons in his Department to the consideration of the Government's response to the Scott inquiry. [16598]
§ Mr. Lang[holding answer 22 February 1996]: Access to the report itself prior to publication was restricted to a very small number of officials in the main Departments concerned in accordance with the procedure agreed with the Scott inquiry. However, the Scott report covered a wide range of policy issues and a number of other officials will have contributed to preparation of the Government's response without sight of the report. It is not therefore possible to give the cost of the work.
§ Mrs. Jane KennedyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade how many persons and at what level in his Department were involved in considering the Government's response to the report of the Scott inquiry. [16562]
§ Mr. Lang[holding answer 22 February 1996]: Access to the report itself prior to publication was restricted to a very small number of officials in the main departments concerned in accordance with the procedures agreed with the Scott inquiry. However, the Scott report covered a wide range of policy issues and a number of other officials will have contributed to preparation of the Government's response without sight of the report. It is not therefore possible to give their number or grades.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the President of the Board of Trade at what hour and minute of which day the report of the Scott inquiry was delivered to his office. [16494]