Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he took to ensure that the export licences approved to export to Syria dual-use chemicals that could be used as precursors to the production of chemical weapons would not be used for this purpose.

Applications to export dual use chemicals to Syria were assessed thoroughly against strict licensing criteria, drawing on open source and classified information. However, the licences were revoked following a revision to the sanctions regime which came into force on 17 June 2012. No goods were exported to Syria under these licences before they were revoked.