Conduct Of Ministers

EDM number 839 in 1992-93, proposed by David Steel on 13/11/1992.

That this House is appalled by the cynicism, deception and moral laxity shown by Ministers over equipment sales to Iraq as revealed by documents made available at the Matrix Churchill trial which show that Ministers denied that such sales were destined for the Iraqi military long after they knew the opposite to be true; notes in particular a letter, dated 6th September 1989, from the then Minister of State at the Foreign Office, the Rt hon Member for Bristol West to Lord Trefgarne at Trade and Industry, which stated 'We know, originally from secret sources, that contrary to the assurances of the manufacturer, its high technology machine tools have been shipped to the major Iraqi munitions establishments'; further notes that the letter and other documents makes clear that protection of secret sources was no longer a factor; deplores the fact that the Foreign Offices's objection to selling further equipment was overruled and that the Rt hon Member for Bristol West was advised by his officials that he should give in only after extracting the price that the Foreign Office would not answer parliamentary questions on the subject; and believes that this derisory price makes a mockery of the seriousness of the issue and brings the whole Government into contempt.

This motion has been signed by a total of 21 MPs.