§ Baroness Cox asked Her Majesty's Government:
§ What measures they took to ensure that the export to Sudan of the dual-use toxic precursors (triethanolamine and sodium sulphate flakes, which can be used as precursors in the manufacture of mustard gases) would be subject to end-user accountability and would not be used for the manufacture of chemical weapons; to which facilities in Sudan the chemicals were exported; and what was the stated purpose for the export of these chemicals. [HL4216]
§ Lord Sainsbury of TurvilleThe export of precursors of toxic chemicals, such as triethanolamine and sodium sulphide are subject to control by being listed in the Australia Group Chemical Weapons precursor list. [The export licence concerned covered sodium sulphide flakes, not sodium sulphate flakes]. Both chemicals are listed because triethanolamine may be used as a precursor in the manufacture of nitrogen mustard, and sodium sulphide may be used as a precursor in the manufacture of sulphur mustard. However, both chemicals also have many commercial uses.
All export licence applications are rigorously assessed to determine the risk of the proposed export being misused in contravention of our national export licensing criteria and those in the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports, including for risk of diversion or re-export to undesirable end-users. Applications are refused if it is assessed that an unacceptable risk of diversion exists. ECO seeks advice on applications from other departments with an interest as determined by those departments in line with their policy responsibilities. All applications for Standard Individual Export Licences must be accompanied by appropriate end-user undertakings or, if the consignee is a Government body, a copy of the official purchase order or relevant part of the contract. As noted in the 1999 Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls, we regularly ask overseas posts to conduct checks to confirm the veracity of end-user information. We systematically take into account reliable information from a variety of sources, including reporting from diplomatic posts, international organisations and Non-Government Organisations.
93WAAs regards the facilities in Sudan to which the chemicals were exported and what was the stated purpose for the export of these chemicals, enquiries are being made under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. As confidential information is involved, the parties concerned will be asked if they consent to its disclosure, and this may take some time. I will write to my noble friend as soon as possible and place a copy of that letter in the Library of the House.