HL Deb 03 July 2003 vol 650 cc121-2WA
Baroness Pitkeathley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether any goods subject to strategic controls have recently been approved for export to Iraq. [HL3730]

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)

Following consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence, the Department of Trade and Industry recently approved two licences to export military list goods to Iraq. The arms embargo against Iraq remains in place under United Nations Security Council resolution 1483 (2003), with the exception of "arms and related material required by the (Coalition Provisional) Authority to serve the purposes of this and other related resolutions". Accordingly Her Majesty's Government consider it appropriate to grant exemptions for these goods to be exported on the basis that they are to be used for the purpose of protecting companies working on reconstruction projects in Iraq which form part of the authority's functions under resolution 1483 (2003). These exports are consistent with the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria. Future applications will continue to be assessed on a case by case basis against the UN embargo and consolidated criteria, taking into account the circumstances prevailing at the time.