HC Deb 29 March 1983 vol 40 cc171-3
10. Mr. Skinner

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the countries to which the United Kingdom has sold arms since May 1979.

Mr. Pattie

Yes, Sir. I shall arrange for the information to be published.

Mr. Skinner

Will the Minister ensure that Argentina is included, because British manufacturing industry and others involved in weapons manufacture are providing components for the French Exocets and the German frigates? Does he admit that, since Argentina has run short of money, the Tory Government have, through the British banks, allocated hundreds of millions of pounds to enable that country to buy the Exocets and frigates so that it can play further war games with British lives in the Falklands and elsewhere?

Mr. Pattie

I have told the hon. Gentleman that the list will be published. He must wait and see what countries are included. As there are 84 countries, I should be surprised if Argentina were not among them—as it was while the Labour Government whom he supported were in office.

Mr. Churchill

Before disposing by sales overseas of the third of a million or more self-loading rifles belonging to the British Army that are becoming obsolescent, will my hon. Friend have regard to the fact that in the event of a future crisis barely 1 per cent, of the population of these islands will have a weapon available to them? Will he give careful consideration to the recent proposals advanced by General Sir Anthony Farrar-Hockley and Lord Hill-Norton for the formation on a large scale of a volunteer home defence force?

Mr. Pattie

It is not the Government's intention to dispose of surplus self-loading rifles overseas.

Mr. McNamara

Is the Minister aware that the Opposition will have no part in a suggestion by superannuated old brass-hats for a home guard? Will the hon. Gentleman publish in the Official Report a list of long-term commercial agreements with countries supplying arms to Argentina that the Government feel it is still necessary to fulfil?

Mr. Pattie

We have plans to publish only those agreements of which the defence sales organisation has had official notification and for which export licensing arrangements are required.

Following is the information:

List of countries with which contracts for defence equipment were signed since May 1979 Attached is a list of 84 countries with which contracts for military equipment were signed since May 1979 and which were notified to the Ministry of Defence. As such, the list, though substantially correct, may not be comprehensive, because not all private orders, particularly those of a minor nature, have to be notified to defence sales organisation. All exports of military equipment as defined in group 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order are, of course, carefully controlled, and subject to the granting of an export licence by the Department of Trade.

* Embargo imposed following the invasion of the Falkland Islands now prohibits the delivery of any military equipment from the United Kingdom to Argentina.