Written question asked by Llew Smith (Labour) on Tuesday, 27 November 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 10 December 2001. It was answered by Ben Bradshaw (Labour) on Monday, 10 December 2001 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Her Majesty's Government has evidence that Iraq is in breach of United Nations resolutions on the (a) procurement, (b) possession and (c) manufacture of weapons of mass destruction.

Answer: Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Her Majesty's Government have evidence that Iraq is in breach of United Nations resolutions on the (a) procurement, (b) possession and (c) manufacture of weapons of mass destruction. [19885] Mr. Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply. In their final report following withdrawal from Iraq in December 1998, UNSCOM noted that Iraq still retained a significant WMD capability. There have been no independent inspections since then. We assess that Iraq still has that capability. There is considerable circumstantial evidence that Iraq is engaged in a programme of rebuilding manufacturing facilities disabled by UNSCOM and those destroyed during Operation Desert Fox in December 1998. In line with exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, I cannot provide any fuller details of our knowledge of Iraq's current activities.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 376 c537W; 19885
Session: 2001-02
Subjects: Chemical weapons Biological weapons Iraq Nuclear weapons UN resolutions
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk