14. Mr. Robert AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect on domestic production of his Department's land mine policy. [34911]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotMy Department's land mine policy will have no significant effect on domestic production.
Mr. AinsworthWill the Minister confirm that he intends to modernise Britain's stockpile of anti-personnel mines? It does not matter whether he does that by creating a domestic capacity or by purchase from abroad, it will run counter to his stated policy of discouraging the production and use of land mines worldwide. Is not this a case of the Government saying one thing and doing another?
§ Mr. ArbuthnotWe have taken no decision to modernise the stockpile. If—contrary to our wish for a global ban on land mines—it becomes necessary to modernise the stockpile, we will take that decision later. In those circumstances, it would be better if we had land mines that self-destruct and therefore are of less danger to civilians, instead of the land mines that we have at present that do not.
§ Mr. FabricantWhile I recognise that the sale of non-self-destructing land mines is an evil, is it not the case that our exports of arms is 19 per cent. of the world market?
[HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. The hon. Member for Mid-Staffordshire is on his feet.
§ Mr. FabricantThank you, Madam Speaker. Is it not also the case that Britain is second only to America in exporting arms? Does my hon. Friend agree that the comments of the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) about hospitality—
[HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. The Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition are British parliamentarians and should be respected as such, not treated as Roman gladiators. Does not the House agree? Carry on.
§ Mr. FabricantThank you, Madam Speaker, for enabling me to ask the longest question I have ever asked. Does my hon. Friend agree that the comments made by the hon. Member for Newham, North-West about hospitality demonstrated that the Labour party has no interest in jobs and that that is just one of the new dangers of new Labour?
§ Mr. ArbuthnotI agree.