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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Answer

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are in place to ensure that arms and arms components sold abroad are not acquired by (a) countries and (b) organisations outside the UK to whom sale of arms and arms components is prohibited. [76534] Mr. Rammell: I have been asked to reply. Exports of arms and other goods controlled for strategic reasons are subject to export licences issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. All individual licence applications are assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Exporting Licensing Criteria. Criterion 1A of the consolidated criteria makes clear that the Government will not issue a licence if approval would be inconsistent with the UK's international obligations and its commitments to enforce UN, OSCE and EU arms embargoes, as well as national embargoes observed by the UK. The Government focus their efforts on assessment of potential end-use at the export licensing stage. This includes checks made by our posts overseas where necessary. Carrying out effective risk assessment on end- users before making the export licensing decision is the surest way of preventing arms from falling into the wrong hands. In addition the Government remain committed to carrying out end-use monitoring of exports in those circumstances where this will genuinely add value to our efforts to minimise the risk of misuse and diversion and where such monitoring is practicable. Our overseas posts have standing instructions to report on allegations of misuse of any UK-origin defence equipment. We take these reports into account in our assessment. Officials from across Whitehall co-operate to pursue possible breaches of sanctions in the UK and abroad. Breaches involving the sale of UK arms and components sold abroad are thoroughly investigated by the relevant authorities.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

76534; 391 c880W;391 c890W

Session

2001-02

Subjects

Arms trade Export controls Sanctions

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk