To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 21 July 2008, Official Report, column 872W, on Iran: sanctions, on how many occasions UK authorities have undertaken inspection of cargoes to and from Iran in accordance with the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 1803 since March 2008. (225627)

I have been asked to reply.

UK authorities undertake daily inspections of cargoes to and from Iran on the basis of risk and intelligence. UK authorities have undertaken no inspections in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1803 since March 2008. Inspections in the UK are triggered at a lower level of confidence than the wording of the resolution which calls upon states to undertake inspections only where there are ‘reasonable grounds to believe’.