Written question asked by Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 6 February 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 19 February 2007. It was answered by Kim Howells (Labour) on Monday, 19 February 2007 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Iraq: Weapons

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the (a) nature and (b) quantity of (i) chemical and (ii) biological weapons or weapons capability that was transferred from Iraq to (A) Syria and (B) Lebanon in the six months prior to the allied invasion of Iraq in 2003; and if she will make a statement.

Answer: It is the long-standing policy of the Government not to comment on intelligence matters.Lord Butler had uninhibited access to all UK intelligence material and other relevant Government papers relating to Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). Having fully accepted Lord Butler’s recommendations, which have now been implemented, the Government do not propose re-opening the debate on issues which were fully covered in his report.The hon. Member may find it useful to refer to the March 2005 Addendums to the Comprehensive Report of the Special Advisor to the (US) Director of Central Intelligence on Iraq’s WMD, which covers the issue of movement of any WMD out of Iraq in the period leading up to the 2003 conflict.The report can be found on the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency website at: https://www.cia.gov/cia/reports/iraq_wmd_2004/addenda.pdf.

Secondary information