Ministerial Statements On Arms For Iraq

EDM number 774 in 1992-93, proposed by Robin Cook on 10/11/1992.

That this House records its concern at the discrepancy between statements by Ministers in the House and the minutes of ministerial meetings released in court; notes that on 10th November 1989 Lady Thatcher stated 'supplies of British defence equipment to Iraq and Iran continue to be governed by the guidelines introduced in 1985' Official Report, Volume 159, column 800, while the ministerial minutes reveal that the guidelines had been circumvented since 1988; notes that on 13th November 1989 the honourable Member for Wokingham, the Minister of State at the Department of Trade and Industry stated, 'I have no reason to believe that the company, Matrix Churchill, has contravened United Kingdom export controls' Official Report, Volume 160, column 1, while the ministerial minutes reveal that since 1988 Ministers had known that Matrix Churchill was supplying machine tools to Iraqi munition plants; and further notes that on 31st January 1991, Official Report, Volume 185, column 1102, the Prime Minister stated 'for some considerable time we have not supplied arms to Iraq', while the ministerial minutes reveal that as recently as July 1990 approval was given for the export by Matrix Churchill of machine tools designed to produce fuses for Iraqi arms; and demands that ministers make a full statement of how they can reconcile their words in the House with their actions in private.

This motion has been signed by a total of 77 MPs.