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Article: The ghost of Sir Richard Scott's inquiry. (into arms trade in Great Britain, 1935)
- Article from:
- History Today
- Article date:
- October 1, 1995
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1995 History Today Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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A British company sells arms to renegade third-world countries; the Conservative-led Government tries to deflect public criticism by forming an inquiry led by a Lord Justice; civil servants and a former prime minister appear before the inquiry; the government is scolded in the inquiry's report for its lax control over the sale of arms abroad and sweeping changes are recommended. Is this: (a) a description of the Scott Inquiry of 1992/95; or (b) a description of the 1935/36 Royal Commission on the Private Manufacture of and Trade in Armaments? Answer: Both.
As Sir Richard Scott prepares his report on the arms-to-Iraq scandal, he is perhaps unwittingly haunted by the ...