Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour). It was answered on Thursday, 17 November 2005.

Iraq: Sanctions

Question: My Lords, is it not true that sanctions against Iraq miserably failed because companies such as the Weir Group were propping up the Saddam Hussein regime with backhanders that enabled him to pay his army and also to maintain his regime based on violence? Is it not also true that if sanctions had been allowed properly to work, there would have been no war? There would have been no military intervention, and thousands of lives would have been saved. I put it to my noble and learned friend that the company has blood on its hands.

Answer: My Lords, I certainly would not assent to that at this stage in the consideration of the allegations that have been made. The Weir Group itself first volunteered information about what it had discovered.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 675 c1182
Session: 2005-06
Oral question type: 1st Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Lords chamber
Subjects: Armed conflict Corruption Iraq Food Oil Sanctions Iraq conflict Weir Group Prosecutions
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk