§ Sir John StanleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he received advice from officials within his Department that a war against Iraq might be illegal. [158143]
§ Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government received advice on the legality of war on Iraq from Government legal advisers which did not concur with the advice given by the Attorney-General. [158522]
§ Mr. StrawThe Government's legal advice on the legal basis for the use of force against Iraq came from the Attorney-General, who made a statement in Parliament on 17 March 2003 which set out his view.
I supplemented this with a letter of the same date to the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, which was also sent to every right hon. and hon. Member.
§ Sir John StanleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date the Permanent Secretary in his Department was first informed as to which Iraqi weapons the 45 minute claim in the Iraqi weapons of mass destruction dossier applied. [158774]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienI refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 10 February 2004,Official Report, column 1305W. The Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was informed of the particular weapons referred to in similar circumstances and with the same timings as the Foreign Secretary.