HL Deb 24 June 1998 vol 591 cc26-7WA
Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the licensing contract between British Aerospace plc and the Government of Turkey for the HK33 assault rifle complies fully with the terms of the arms transfer criteria agreed at:

  1. (a) the European Council of June 1991 (Luxembourg);
  2. (b) the European Council of July 1992 (Lisbon);
  3. (c) United Nations Security Council guidelines of October 1991 (London);
  4. (d) Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe principles for arms transfers November 1993; and
  5. (e) the Wassenaar Arrangement. [HL2116]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

We are unaware of the terms of the "licensing contract" between Heckler and Koch, a German-based subsidiary of British Aerospace plc, and the Government of Turkey. The British Government have not been approached to grant an export licence in respect of such items.

Export licence applications for export from the United Kingdom would be considered in accordance with our national criteria (The Criteria to be used in Considering Licence Applications for the Export of Conventional Arms), in line with the arrangements cited in the question and the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Sales.