HC Deb 19 May 1998 vol 312 cc359-62W
Mr. Howard

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what meetings were held between Government representatives and Sandline during the period of exile of President Kabbah of Sierra Leone; who was present at such meetings; where and when they were held; what was their purpose; and what was discussed at them; [41799]

(2) pursuant to the oral statement of 12 March 1998, Official Report, column 844, on what basis he concluded that the article which appeared in The Observer on 8 March was ill-informed; [41810]

(3) on what grounds Her Majesty's Government recommended Sandline International to President Kabbah; [41970]

(4) what the timescale will be for the independent investigation of arms sales to Sierra Leone; if it will be carried out in public; and if its terms of reference will allow all interested parties to give evidence; [41971]

(5) if the United Kingdom High Commissioner to Sierra Leone visited the premises of Sandline International in the month before the counter coup in Sierra Leone; [41963]

(6) if the United Kingdom High Commissioner to Sierra Leone received full details of the arrangements, including the military equipment to be provided, together with a copy of Sandline International's strategic and tactical plan, for Sandline International's operations in Sierra Leone; and to whom this information was communicated in his Department, and when. [41962]

Mr. Blunt

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) which official authorised the request for an inquiry by HM Customs and Excise into Lord Avebury's allegations concerning arms sales to Sierra Leone; [42100]

(2) how many times Lieutenant Colonel Spicer is recorded as having telephoned the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Africa Department (Equatorial) between 25 May 1997 and 24 April 1998; and on what dates; [42689]

(3) on what date the Permanent Under Secretary was informed of Sandline International's allegation of his Department's officials' complicity in arms exports to Sierra Leone; and what form the information took. [42694]

Mr. Maclean

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the submissions or briefing notes on the situation in Sierra Leone which his Private Office received between 2 May 1997 and 4 May 1998, stating their dates. [42085]

Sir John Stanley

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates meetings between Sandline personnel and staff of the British High Commission in Sierra Leone took place. [42059]

Mr. Faber

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the occasions on which his special representative to Sierra Leone, Mr. John Flynn, met representatives of Sandline International in(a) London and (b) Sierra Leone since 9 January. [42286]

Mr. Gale

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Inquiry into the supply of arms to Sierra Leone will be held in public. [42262]

Mr. Robin Cook

I refer to my statement in the House during the debate on 18 May 1998,Official Report, columns 604 –11, in which I 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 of the House. I intend to publish the report of the investigation.

Sir Alastair Goodlad

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the inquiry he announced on 6 May concerning Sierra Leone will cover the role of Ministers and civil servants in the Department for International Development. [41937]

Mr. Robin Cook

The investigation I announced on 18 May will cover all Government Departments which Sir T. Legg considers relevant.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral answer of 6 May 1998,Official Report, column 727, if he will make a further statement on ministerial policy towards Sierra Leone. [41978]

Mr. Robin Cook

[holding answer 14 May 1998]: I refer to my statement in the House during the debate on 18 May 1998, Official Report, columns 604–11.

Mr. Keith Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) on what date his Permanent Secretary was first informed of the policy of the United Kingdom that the Government of Sierra Leone should be restored by military force; [41827]

(2) on what date the intelligence summaries in the Red Book first informed him of the policy of the United Kingdom Government that the Government of Sierra Leone should be restored by force; [41825]

(3) on what date officials and Ministers from his Department first consulted the US State Department, Department of Defense and the Central Intelligence Agency concerning the policy of the United Kingdom that the Government of Sierra Leone should be restored by military force. [41828]

Mr. Robin Cook

This Government have consistently supported the peaceful restoration of the legitimate government of Sierra Leone.

Mr. Keith Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the relationship between his Department's ethical code in respect of arms sales and arms sales to Sierra Leone. [41829]

Mr. Robin Cook

[holding answer 14 May 1998]: The criteria I have announced for use by the FCO when considering export applications for the export of conventional arms specify that a licence should be refused if approval would be inconsistent with the UK's commitment to enforce UN arms embargoes. No such application has been received in respect of Sierra Leone.

Mr. Soames

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what day(a) his officials or (b) his Private Office first gave him papers relating to potential operations by Sandline or others in Sierra Leone; and on what date he acknowledged them. [41961]

Mr. Robin Cook

[holding answer 14 May 1998]: The first paper I saw was the letter shown to me on the evening of 28 April.

Mr. Wilshire

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at what time and on what date he first saw the letter addressed to him from S J Berwin & Co. on behalf of Sandline International dated 24 April. [42132]

Mr. Robin Cook

The evening of 28 April.

Mr. Keith Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) on what date he first consulted the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Office concerning the UK Government's decision to assist Sandline International to help restore the Government of Sierra Leone; [41831]

(2) on what date the Director General of GCHQ was first informed of the role to be played by Sandline International in restoring the Government of Sierra Leone. [41826]

Mr. Robin Cook

At no stage was it our policy to assist Sandline International to help restore the government of Sierra Leone.

Mr. Faber

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on the basis of Mr. John Flynn's appointment as his special representative to Sierra Leone; [42281]

(2) what are the terms of reference of Mr. John Flynn's appointment as his special representative to Sierra Leone. [42282]

Mr. Robin Cook

Mr. Flynn was appointed as my Special Representative to focus international attention on Sierra Leone and to coordinate international support for the restoration of the democratically-elected government.

Mr. Charles Clarke

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Sir Thomas Legg, when conducting the investigation announced on 18 May, will have access to all official documents which mention Sandline and the supply of military equipment. [43089]

Mr. Robin Cook

As I made clear in my statement on 18 May 1998,Official Report, columns 601–11, Sir Thomas Legg will be able to see all documents which refer to Sandline, and consider whether they were properly acted upon. These will include intelligence reports. We are aware of five intelligence reports, received between 8 October 1997, when UNSCR 1132 was adopted, and 10 March 1998 when Lord Avebury's letter of 5 February was passed to Customs, which refer to Sandline, or companies associated with Sandline, and to the supply of arms or military equipment. They were seen by officials but not by Ministers.