§ Sir Teddy TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total list of holds imposed by the UK on humanitarian goods for Iraq on 1 November.[138457]
§ Mr. HainOver US$37 billion has been made available to purchase humanitarian goods under the Oil for Food programme since its inception in 1996. This year alone, Oil for Food revenue is expected to reach more than US$16 billion.
Figures for 1 November are no longer available. However, as at 13 November the UK had 208 contracts placed on hold, valued at approximately US$0.3 billion, which is less than 1 per cent. of the total value of Oil for Food revenue. The UK, as a responsible member of the UN Iraq Sanctions Committee, scrutinises contracts very carefully to ensure that goods are not supplied to Iraq in violation of Security Council resolutions. Holds are normally lifted after assurances have been received about the end-use or in-country monitoring of these goods. Since early October the UK has lifted holds on contracts valued at $200 million following confirmation that the goods will be subject to specific monitoring within Iraq.
It is noteworthy that at the end of October Iraq's bureaucracy was holding back the delivery of US$1.1 billion worth of goods already approved by the Sanctions Committee. Detailed information on the status of individual Oil for Food contracts are available from The Office for Iraq Programme's website (http://www.un.org/Dems/oip.html).
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§ Mr. CashTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the European Union's policy on sanctions against Iraq. [138682]
§ Mr. HainThe member states of the European Union, in accordance with their international obligations, continue to implement the United Nations sanctions on Iraq imposed by the United Nations Security Council acting under Chapter VII of the UN Charter.