§ Sir Alastair GoodladTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) when she was first informed of the involvement of Sandline International in Sierra Leone; [42300]
(2) when her Private Office was first informed of the involvement of Sandline International in operations in Sierra Leone; [42304]
(3) when she was first informed of the existence of the Customs and Excise investigation into the involvement of Sandline International in operations in Sierra Leone; [42302]
(4) when her Private Office was first informed of the existence of the Customs and Excise investigation into the involvement of Sandline International in operations in Sierra Leone; [42298]
(5) what meetings she or her officials have had with representatives of Sandline International since May 1997; [41940]
(6) when she was informed of possible breaches of the UN Security Council Resolution 1132 concerning Sierra Leone; [41942]
(7) what contacts officials in her Department have had with representatives of Sandline International. [41939]
587W
§ Clare ShortI refer the right hon. Gentleman to the speech by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in the House on 18 May 1998,Official Report, columns 604–11, in which he announced the investigation by Sir Thomas Legg KCB QC into allegations about Government involvement with the supply of arms to Sierra Leone by UK citizens and firms, and said that the Terms of Reference would be placed in the Library. The Foreign Secretary intends to publish the report of the investigation.
§ Sir Alastair GoodladTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) when her Private Office was first informed of the plan for military intervention to restore the Government of President Kabbah of Sierra Leone; [42303]
(2) when she was first informed of the plan for military intervention to restore the Government of President Kabbah of Sierra Leone. [42299]
§ Clare ShortThe Government did not have prior knowledge of the military intervention by the Military Observer Group of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOMOG) of 5 February 1998.
§ Sir Alastair GoodladTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what(a) British aid to Sierra Leone was delivered by and (b) deliveries of British aid to Sierra Leone were assisted by Sandline International or organisations hired on behalf of Sandline International. [41941]
§ Clare ShortNone. Neither Sandline International nor any organisation acting on their behalf have assisted the delivery of British aid to Sierra Leone.