§ Mr. HowardTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those inquiries which were launched by his officials without his prior knowledge since 1 May 1997. [41724]
§ Mr. Robin Cook[holding answer 12 May 1998]No formal investigations have been launched since 2 May 1997 by officials of the FCO without my knowledge. In the case of the alleged breach of the arms embargo on Sierra Leone, officials acted perfectly properly in referring allegations to Customs and Excise.