§ Brigadier Petoasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the number of firearms certificates for the purchase of automatic firearms by Egyptian nationals in this country needs attention, so as to minimise the number of firearms being exported from this country to Egypt; and what limitation is in force at present.
§ Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe:Before granting a firearm certificate the chief officer of police concerned has to be satisfied that there is a good reason for doing so. I have no reason to think that, in exercising his power under the Firearms Act, any chief officer of police would facilitate the export of firearms to Egypt in present circumstances. I am informed that any Board of Trade licences for the export of arms to Egypt valid on 22nd October, 1951, were revoked on that date and that none has since been issued.