Written question asked by Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 26 June 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 5 July 2000. It was answered by Lord Hain (Labour) on Wednesday, 5 July 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 amount of Iraq's supplies of (a) tabun, (b) sarin, (c) mustard gas and (d) VX gas remain unaccounted for; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what amount of Iraq's supplies of (a) tabun, (b) sarin, (c) mustard gas and (d) VX gas remain unaccounted for; and if he will make a statement. [128180] Mr. Hain: Although the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) was able to destroy, remove or render harmless large quantities of chemical weapons (CW), their components, precursors and major production equipment, there remain significant gaps in their understanding of Iraq's CW programme. Even accepting the figures for CW agents and precursors unilaterally destroyed by Iraq in contravention of United Nations Security Council resolution 687, there are discrepancies in Iraq's declarations on the number of weapons filled with chemical agents and the number used during the Iran/Iraq war or lost after the Gulf War. Questions remain on the production and weaponisation of VX, CW production equipment and CW precursors. There have been no UN weapons inspections in Iraq since December 1998, hence the importance we attach to the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) gaining access at the earliest opportunity.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 128180; 353 c222W;353 c220W
Session: 1999-00
Subjects: Chemical and biological warfare Chemical weapons Inspections Iraq UN Special Commission on Iraq VX nerve gas
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk