§ Mr. ColvinTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British defence export orders have been blocked under the Wassenaar Arrangement. [48304]
§ Mr. Tony LloydThe Initial Elements of the Wassenaar Arrangement state that the decision to transfer or deny transfer of any item will be the sole responsibility of each Participating State. Participation in the Wassenaar Arrangement does not therefore entail automatic refusal of any export. However, in line with our responsibilities as a Participating State, we seek to ensure that our transfers of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies do not undermine the Arrangement's goals of contributing to regional and international security and stability. The arms export licensing criteria announced by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 28 July 1997,Official Report, column 26–29, state that an export licence should be refused if approval would be inconsistent with the UK's commitments to the Wassenaar arrangement.