Iraq (Hansard, 12 January 2004)

§ Keith Vaz
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government's plans for British involvement in Iraq have changed following the capture of Saddam Hussein. [146221]

§ Mr. Rammell
Government policy on Iraq has not changed following the capture of Saddam Hussein. His capture should reassure Iraqis who have suffered under his rule and feared his return to power. We will continue with our aim of working with Iraqis towards the establishment of a democratically elected government for Iraq.

§ Keith Vaz
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on where Saddam Hussein should be tried. [146222]

§ Mr. Rammell
We have made it clear that it is for the Iraqi people to decide how to bring to justice those responsible for crimes committed by the former regime. On 10 December 2003 the Governing Council announced the creation of an Iraqi Special Tribunal to fulfil such a task. However, it would be premature at this stage to speculate whether Saddam Hussein will face prosecution before the Tribunal.

§ Harry Cohen
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the Government has made of weapons imported into Iraq in 2003(a) prior to and (b) subsequent to the invasion by Coalition Forces; for what purpose this was done and to whom they were supplied; whether such supply was in breach of the UN arms embargo; and if he will make a statement. [146432]

§ Mr. Rammell
The Government scrutinises all export licence applications and closely monitors the sale of weapons overseas from the UK. All UK exports are assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria on a case by case basis. In line with our obligations under United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 661 (6 August 1990) and its amendments, the UK did not sell or supply any weapons to Iraq prior to the onset of the conflict in 2003. Since the conflict ended the UK has rigorously enforced UNSCR 1483 (22 May 2003) which maintains the prohibition on the sale of all arms and related material, other than those required by the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) to serve the purposes of UNSCR 1483 and other related resolutions.
Since the introduction of UNSCR 1483 the Government have approved export licences for the sale and supply of weapons to the CPA and for the protection of CPA personnel and personnel contracted to assist with the reconstruction of Iraq. I made clear in a Written Statement to the House on 14 October 2003, Official Report, column 7WS, that we have licensed sub-machine guns and pistols for this purpose. The Government have also licensed smoke grenades and ammunition for the protection of CPA personnel, as well as ammunition for the CPA's work with the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior. A statement on both of these will be issued in January.
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We are unable to comment on the export control policy of other countries, although EU countries apply substantially the same criteria under the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports and are similarly bound by the UN arms embargo.
Given the ongoing problems of security in Iraq, the Government are unable to assess the illegal flow of weapons across Iraq's borders since the end of the conflict in the spring of 2003. Such exports are in breach of the UN arms embargo, which was reaffirmed in UNSCR 1483.