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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Answer

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the oil- for-food income was allocated to Gulf War reparations through the UN administered Compensation Fund; what amount in pounds sterling that percentage represented from (a) December 1996 to December 2000 and (b) December 2000 to 21 November 2003; and what the amount paid by Iraq in reparations was prior to December 1996. [141116] Mr. Mullin: When the "oil-for-food" scheme was launched in December 1996, the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) received 30 per cent. of the proceeds of Iraq's oil sales, allowing it to make regular compensation payments to successful claimants. This percentage was reduced to 25 per cent. pursuant to Security Council resolution 1330 (2000). On 22 May 2003 the Security Council adopted resolution 1483 (2003), which reduced the percentage of revenue from Iraqi oil sales to be paid into the Compensation Fund to 5 per cent. The total amount paid in compensation to victims of Iraq's invasion and occupation of Kuwait to date is over US$17.5 billion. The figures in pounds sterling are not readily available, nor is a breakdown of the amounts paid between the dates stated.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

141116; 415 c513W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Compensation Armed conflict Iraq Food Oil Payments UN Compensation Commission Iraq conflict

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk