Return to an Address of the Honourable the House of Commons
dated 18 July 1996 for the Appendices to the Report of the Inquiry into the Export of Defence Equipment and Dual-Use Goods to Iraq and Related Prosecutions laid before The House on 15 February 1996*

Volume One
Section D Arms and Defence-Related Exports to Iraq
Chapter 2 Applications of The Guidelines in the period
December 1984 to August 1988

Excerpt:
Specific Cases - (xi) Land Rovers (military use)

D2.211 In June 1985 an ELA for the sale to Iraq of Land Rovers adapted to accept the installation of a 106mm light gun was submitted. 500 similar vehicles had been licensed and supplied in 1982/3. The value of the order was some £6.7 million. The supply of the Land Rovers was assessed by the MODWG on 20 June 1985 as constituting an insignificant enhancement and the IDC, at its meeting on 27 June 1985, recommended the grant of the licence. Mr Lavender’s Note dated 24 July 1985 said that “Despite the obvious presentational problems, the committee agreed to approve their supply ...as an insignificant enhancement.” *314

D2.212 No comment on this item was made by Mr Collins in submitting to senior FCO officials the Summary Record of the 27 June 1985 meeting, nor by Mr Egerton*315 in advising Mr Luce to approve the IDC recommendations. The ELA was, accordingly, granted.

D2.213 In October 1986 an ELA for the sale to Iraq of military Land Rovers to the value of £844,660 was submitted. The MODWG assessed the supply as A(I), i.e. insignificant enhancement, subject to the proviso that no gun mountings were fitted. 316 The IDC, at its meeting on 16 October 1986, recommended approval of the application subject to the same proviso. The Summary Record of the meeting records that “The Committee recommended that, as previously, these and future exports should be subject to the proviso...” etc. 317 The IDC may have been under a misapprehension. There is no indication in the records of the approval given in June 1985 that the same or any similar proviso had been attached. 316 see MOD/10.1.277 317 see MOD/10.2.17 at paragraph 8(f)

D2.214 In February 1987 an ELA for the sale to Iraq of 24 Land Rovers fitted with special Communications equipment was submitted. The MODWG assessment was that these “could provide the Iraqis with a very useful jamming system” and would constitute a significant enhancement of Iraq’s military capability. Refusal was recommended. *318 The IDC, at its meeting on 27 February 1987 endorsed the recommendation. *319

D2.215 However, the ELA was considered again by the IDC at its meeting on 7 May 1987. Mr Collecott’s Note to senior FCO officials reported that “In February the IDC recommended against approval for 24 Land Rovers and ancillary equipment on the grounds of enhancement. The [applicants] have since notified the MOD that an AWP for the same equipment was approved in August 1986 and that the firm have previously supplied 60 sets. The MOD have therefore reviewed their assessment in the light of this further information and do not now regard the 24 as a significant enhancement. The IDC therefore recommends approval.” *320 Mr Renton approved this recommendation. *321

D2.216 The position regarding earlier approvals of the communications equipment (unrelated to Land Rovers) is set out in a letter dated 23 April 1987 from Mr Keeling (ARMD2a) to Mr Jones (DESS2). *322 An AWP application had been made in July 1986 for approval of the supply (inter alia) of 24 sets of a combined communications monitoring and direction finding system. The supply was assessed as an insignificant enhancement and, following discussion at the IDC meeting of 20 August 1986 and Ministerial endorsement of the IDC’s recommendations, the applicant was informed that the supply was approved. The ELA based on 24 Land Rovers incorporating the communications systems then followed.

D2.217 Following Mr Keeling’s letter, the matter was re-considered by the MODWG on 6 May 1987. No written record of the discussion at that meeting is available and it is, unfortunately, not clear on what basis the MODWG changed the assessment it had made in February.

Endnotes
*314 - see MOD/8.2.103 and MOD/8.2.219

*315 - see FCO/2.4.56, FCO/2.4.54 and FCO/2.4.53

*320 - see FCO/2.5.106 at paragraph 1(b)

*321 - see FCO/2.5.103

*318 - see MOD/11.2.33, MOD/11.2.69, and MOD/11.2.70

*319 - see MOD/11.2.73 at paragraph 5(d)

*322 - see MOD/13.1.11

* The Full report is available from The Stationery Office Ltd., PO Box 276, London, SW8 5DT.