§ Mr. Andrew SmithTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what criteria are used in checking end-use certification of arms sales; and what information the Government publish on this matter. [7689]
§ Mr. Oppenheim[holding answer 10 January 1996]: Appropriate documentation to provide evidence of end-use must be supplied in support of applications for individual licences to export arms and military equipment. If the consignee is an overseas Government, the applicant must provide a copy of the official order or the appropriate parts of the contract. In respect of small arms, requirements vary according to the country of destination: for many countries the applicant provides appropriate import certification from the authorities in the importing country. In all other cases, specific end-use undertakings have to be provided in a prescribed format and on the end-user's headed notepaper. The information in the supporting documentation is assessed by the Department of Trade and Industry export control organisation, and by other Government Departments from which the DTI takes advice in considering the application. The Government give guidance on the type of supporting documentation which must be supplied, the circumstances in which they are required, the information they need to contain and the format in which they must be supplied.