Written question asked by Marquess of Lothian (Conservative) on Tuesday, 22 March 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 4 April 2005. It was answered by Jack Straw (Labour) on Monday, 4 April 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, what reports his Department has received concerning the fundraising mission to the UK earlier in 2005 of Dr Ghulam Adam from Zimbabwe; what action his Department has taken to ensure there has been no breach of the European Union's restrictive measures against Zimbabwe; and what action can be taken against individuals who may have donated money in contravention of the EU restrictions.

Answer: Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports his Department has received concerning the fundraising mission to the UK earlier in 2005 of Dr. Ghulam Adam from Zimbabwe; what action his Department has taken to ensure there has been no breach of the European Union's restrictive measures against Zimbabwe; and what action can be taken against individuals who may have donated money in contravention of the EU restrictions. [223866] Mr. Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office received uncorroborated reports earlier this year that Dr. Adam had previously been in the UK conducting fund-raising for ZANU-PF. Fund-raising for a political party is not in itself a breach of EU sanctions on Zimbabwe. These sanctions provide that `no funds or economic resources shall be made available directly or indirectly to or for the benefit of natural or legal persons, entities or bodies listed', a list which includes individual leading members of the Zimbabwean regime and of ZANU-PF but not the party itself. An offence would therefore have been committed only if the object or effect of the fund-raising was to give funds directly or indirectly to persons subject to the sanctions, and we have not received actionable evidence to that effect. We refer all credible allegations that the EU sanctions may have been broken to the relevant UK authorities. Those responsible for breaching sanctions are liable for prosecution.

Secondary information