The Committees publish the Government’s responses to questions raised by the Committees relating to arms export controls

19 January 2012

The Chairman of the Committees on Arms Export Controls, Sir John Stanley, wrote to the Foreign Secretary, on 18 July, requesting answers to questions the Committees raised in relation to the Government’s response (Cm 8079) to the Committees’ Report of 5 April 2010: Scrutiny of Arms Export Controls (2011): UK Strategic Export Controls Annual Report, Quarterly Reports for 2010, licencing policy and review of export control legislation, HC 686). The Committees requested answers to questions relating to the review of Government policy and practice with regard to the export of equipment that might be used for internal repression.

The Foreign Secretary, Rt Hon William Hague MP, replied to the Committees on 30 September 2011. Attached below are the Chairman’s letter and attachments, and the Foreign Secretary’s reply and attachments:

Letter from Chairman of the Committees to the Foreign Secretary (dated 18 July 2011)

Annex A to the Chairman’s letter to the Foreign Secretary (dated 18 July 2011)

Annex B to the Chairman’s letter to the Foreign Secretary (dated 18 July 2011)

Covering letter from the Foreign Secretary to the Chairman of the Committees (dated 30 September 2011)

Annex A – questions relating to CM 8079

Annex B – Questions relating to the review of Government policy and practice with regard to the export of equipment that might be used for internal repression

EU Green paper on “The dual-use export control system of the European Union: ensuring security and competiveness in a changing world 

A letter from Department of Business, Innovation and Skills Minister, Mark Prisk MP, to Baroness Ashton regarding the export of drugs to the United States for the purpose of lethal injection (dated 12 April 2011)

Table 1 – SIEL revocations since 18 February 2011

Table 2 – OIEL revocations since 18 February 2011

Table 3(a) – All extant SIELs

Table 3(b) – Extant Military SIELs

Table 4 – Extant OIELs

Table 4(b) – Extant Military OIELs  (SIEL - Standart Individual Export Licence; OIEL – Open Individual Export Licence)

The Chairman of the Committees, Sir John Stanley, said “Annex A and Annex B to the Foreign Secretary’s letter provide a very substantial body of information about UK arms exports and about the Government’s policies in this important area. However, the material in Annex B also brings to light new questions and apparent contradictions in arms export approvals and revocations to countries in North Africa and the Middle East that require further scrutiny. I have therefore sent a letter asking further questions to the Foreign Secretary.”

Copy of the letter that Sir John Stanley sent to the Foreign Secretary on 16 January 2012.