Written question asked by Sydney Chapman (Conservative) on Tuesday, 7 November 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 14 November 2000. It was answered by Lord Hain (Labour) on Tuesday, 14 November 2000 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 his estimate is of the value of humanitarian goods the UN Sanctions Committee is currently holding back from delivery to Iraq. - Including figures.

Answer: Sir Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his estimate is of the value of humanitarian goods the UN Sanctions Committee is currently holding back from delivery to Iraq. [137681] Mr. Hain: The total revenue available under the Oil for Food programme since its inception in 1996 is over US$37 billion. This year alone, Oil for Food revenue is expected to reach more than US$16 billion. The current value of Oil for Food contracts on hold because of concerns over dual use is approximately US$2.3 billion. The UK accounts for about US$0.3 billion of this, which is less than 1 per cent. of the total value of Oil for Food revenue. The UK, as a responsible member of the UN Iraq Sanctions Committee, scrutinises contracts very carefully to ensure that goods are not supplied to Iraq in violation of Security Council resolutions. Holds are normally lifted after assurances have been received about the end-use or in-country monitoring of these goods. It is noteworthy that at the end of October Iraq's bureaucracy was holding back the delivery of US$1.1 billion worth of goods already approved by the Sanctions Committee.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 356 c607W; 137681
Session: 1999-00
Subjects: Costs Humanitarian aid Iraq Food Oil Overseas trade UN resolutions Sanctions
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk