§ Baroness Billinghamasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether any goods subject to strategic controls have recently been approved for export to Iraq. [HL3696]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanFollowing consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence, the Department of Trade and Industry recently approved a licence to export laboratory equipment for use by secondary schools in Northern Iraq. The export included 6.25kg of sodium sulphide, which is subject to the Dual-Use Items (Export Control) Regulations 2000, as amended. The UN Iraq Sanctions Committee approved this export to Iraq under the Oil for Food programme (OFF). Under OFF Iraq is allowed to export unlimited quantities of oil to fund the purchase of humanitarian goods. The export is consistent with the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria.