§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Prime Minister if he will report what progress he has made in establishing the register of arms sales announced after the European Council meeting on 8 May 1991.
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§ The Prime MinisterI called for a United Nations register of conventional arms transfers at the Luxembourg European Council on 8 April 1991.
The United Nations General Assembly voted on 9 December 1991 to establish such a register, covering seven major weapons systems, with first returns due on 30 April 1993. The United Kingdom submitted its return to the United Nations Secretary-General on 29 April 1993. The return covered arms imports and exports for the calendar year 1992, including background information; a copy was placed in the Library of the House.
The report of the United Nations Secretary-General, published last October, included returns from some 80 countries.
The United Kingdom will seek to build on this successful start to the initiative to improve its effectiveness; we will be represented on a United Nations panel of experts shortly to discuss the operation and expansion of the register.