UK: ARMS TO IRAQ INQUIRY ENDS WITH PUBLICATION OF SCOTT REPORT

(15 Feb 1996) English/Nat
A political time bomb, ticking away at the heart of the British government for the past three years, finally exploded on Thursday - with the publication of a report on British arms sales to Iraq.
The report, by judge Sir Richard Scott, centred on allegations that ministers misled parliament and suppressed evidence in a trial that could have sent three innocent businessmen to jail.
In parliament Thursday the government said the report completely cleared ministers of any wrong-doing. But the opposition Labour party said the whole story had yet to come out.
D-Day for John Major - leaving Downing Street on Thursday as parliament prepared for its first taste of the Scott Inquiry report.
Inside the House, Mr Major made clear that if the report censured any of his ministers, they'd have to quit:
SOUNDBITE: "If I judge ministers who have knowingly mislead the house then they cannot stay and that remains my position."
SUPER CAPTION: John Major, British prime minister
But there was little sign of criticism in the summary given to MPs by Ian Lang, president of the Board of Trade (Trade Minister). In fact, he said, the report cleared the government entirely:
SOUNDBITE: "Sir Richard Scott's report demonstrates that this allegation is false and without foundation. I quote from Sir Richard's words...."
(Speaker intervenes) "Chairmen, order, order, the Minister is making a statement. If you've got questions to ask you may seek to catch my eye later. Meanwhile we shall hear the Minister out."
"There was no conspiracy, there was no cover up. Such charges are reckless and malicious and they should never have been made.
SUPER CAPTION: Ian Lang, president, Board of Trade
This had been a testing day for William Waldegrave, a senior Treasury minister. Waldegrave, a member of the English nobility related to Queen Elizabeth, had been accused of misleading parliament.
UPSOUND: "Are you going to resign today, Mr Waldegrave?"
But Lang quoted the report as saying Waldegrave had done nothing wrong:
SOUNDBITE: "Those who alleged otherwise should now withdraw unreservedly and apologise to the House. And to my right honourable and honourable friend whom they have defamed.
SUPER CAPTION: Ian Lang
But Robin Cook, who speaks on foreign affairs for the opposition Labour Party, said parliament still hadn't been told the whole truth:
SOUNDBITE: "Which ministers accept responsibility for what went wrong while they were in office? Will he tell us whether the government will dismiss those ministers who in the opinion of Sir Richard failed to discharge the obligation of ministerial accountability to this House? Will he take those steps that are now essential if they are to be entrusted to remain in office? And I warn the President (Lang) that if he fails to answer those questions, this government will forfeit any right to remain in office."
SUPER CAPTION: Robin Cook, Opposition Foreign Affairs
As Cook was speaking, the man at the centre of it all - Sir Richard Scott, author of the report - paraded copies of the document at a news conference in London. He declined to elaborate on what had been said in parliament.
It was a lengthy report - 2-thousand pages long - and its publication had been seen as a political time bomb for the Major administration.
But Richard Norton-Taylor, who followed the Scott Inquiry for the Guardian newspaper, says the whole affair had a peculiarly British ring to it:
CAPTION: Richard Norton-Taylor, Journalist
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