§ 13. Mr. LUNNasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on what principle the Foreign Office acts in making 1495 recommendations to the Board of Trade as to the granting of licences to export arms and munitions; what are the conditions laid down; and whether these are now the conditions governing the export of arms to Japan and China?
§ Sir J. SIMONIn approving the issue of licences to export arms and ammunition to foreign countries, the Foreign Office is entirely actuated by the conisideration as to whether such action would in any way affect the friendly relations of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with the foreign power concerned. This consideration governs the export of arms to China and Japan. In the case of the former country export is made subject to the previous issue of an importation permit by the Chinese Government.
§ 64. Mr. COCKSasked the President of the Board of Trade what requests for the grant of licences to export arms to foreign countries have been made to him during the past six months; by what firms the requests were made; and for which countries the arms were intended?
§ Major COLVILLE (Secretary, Overseas Trade Department)Over 6,000 licences have been issued for the export of arms to all parts of the world during the period in question, mainly for individual weapons and small quantities of ammunition. Only a very small proportion of them represent war material. It would obviously be impossible to give details within the compass of a, reply to a question and I should not in any event, be prepared to divulge the names of applicants for licences, which are always treated as confidential.
§ 56. Mr. LAWSON(for Mr. LUNN) asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the general policy followed by his Department with respect to the granting of licences to export arms to foreign countries?
§ Major COLVILLEI would refer to the answer which I gave to a similar question asked by the hon. Member on 30th November.