Oil-for-Food Programme

HC Deb 15 September 2004 vol 424 cc1614-5W

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress of the inquiry into allegations of corruption in the Oil-for-Food Programme. [188346]

Mr. Rammell

The first report of the UN independent high-level inquiry into allegations of corruption and mismanagement of the Oil-for-Food (OFF) Programme, issued on 9 August, provides background information on the OFF Programme and the status of the inquiry, including its terms of reference and staffing details. A copy of the report is available on the OFF website: www.iic-offp.org/documents/IICSR.pdf. The report does not draw any substantive conclusions. We hope that the independent inquiry will issue a second report, on the role of UN staff and contractors, by the end of 2004. The UK continues to support the UN inquiry into the allegations of corruption of the OFF Programme. We are co-operating fully with the inquiry.