Written question asked by David Drew (Labour) on Thursday, 3 March 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 14 March 2005. It was answered by Bill Rammell (Labour) on Monday, 14 March 2005 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether British companies were implicated in (a) the Iraq oil for food scandal and (b) illegal oil movements from Iraq prior to the invasion in 2003.

Answer: Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether British companies were implicated in (a) the Iraq Oil for Food scandal and (b) illegal oil movements from Iraq prior to the invasion in 2003. [220927] Mr. Rammell: The involvement of some 3,500 companies--including UK companies--in the Oil for Food Programme will be the subject of a future report of the Independent Inquiry Committee (IIC) set up by the UN Secretary-General to investigate the administration and management of the programme. It would be inappropriate to speculate on the nature of UK companies' involvement in the programme until the IIC has completed its investigations. The Government take very seriously all allegations of corruption surrounding the Oil for Food Programme. Any information we receive concerning possible wrongdoing by UK entities will be passed to the relevant UK authorities for investigation.

Secondary information