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UK government trade officials last year approved licences for a British firm to export to Syria two chemicals which could be used to make nerve gas agents such as sarin, at a time when there were fears President Bashar al-Assad would use chemical weapons against rivals, writes The Independent.
The licences were revoked before the chemicals could be dispatched, adds the daily.
Business Secretary Vince Cable will nevertheless have to explain to parliament why the company was granted export licences for the dual-use substances potassium fluoride and sodium fluoride.
The revelations emerged as the US announced it had proof that sarin gas was used in the August 21 attack outside Damascus, which is thought to have left more than 1,400 people dead.
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