Written question asked by Adam Price (Plaid Cymru) on Friday, 16 July 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 21 July 2004. It was answered by Tony Blair (Labour) on Wednesday, 21 July 2004 on behalf of the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister

Question: To ask the Prime Minister, whether (a) the head of MI6 and (b) the Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee were informed that SIS had withdrawn reporting in July 2003 from a source who claimed that production of biological and chemical agents had been accelerated by the Iraqi regime, because the source of the reporting had subsequently been deemed unreliable; whether (a) members of the Cabinet Office and (b) the Intelligence and Security Committee was informed that SIS had withdrawn reporting in July 2003 from a source who claimed that production of biological and chemical agents had been accelerated by the Iraqi regime, because the source of the reporting had subsequently been deemed unreliable; whether members of (a) his and (b) Cabinet Office staff were informed in July 2003 that the Secret Intelligence Service in that month had withdrawn reporting from a source who claimed that the production of biological and chemical agents had been accelerated by the Iraqi regime, because the source of the reporting had subsequently been deemed unreliable.

Answer: Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister (1) whether (a) the head of MI6 and (b) the Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee were informed that SIS had withdrawn reporting in July 2003 from a source who claimed that production of biological and chemical agents had been accelerated by the Iraqi regime, because the source of the reporting had subsequently been deemed unreliable; [185688] (2) whether (a) members of the Cabinet Office and (b) the Intelligence and Security Committee was informed that SIS had withdrawn reporting in July 2003 from a source who claimed that production of biological and chemical agents had been accelerated by the Iraqi regime, because the source of the reporting had subsequently been deemed unreliable; [185689] (3) whether members of (a) his and (b) Cabinet Office staff were informed in July 2003 that the Secret Intelligence Service in that month had withdrawn reporting from a source who claimed that the production of biological and chemical agents had been accelerated by the Iraqi regime, because the source of the reporting had subsequently been deemed unreliable. [185788] The Prime Minister: We have nothing further to add to the remarks that were made in yesterday's debate on Iraq.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 424 c284-5W; 185688;185689;185788
Session: 2003-04
Subjects: Chemical weapons Biological weapons Intelligence services Iraq Weapons WMD Intelligence Review Committee
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk