§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of state for Trade and Industry what vetting procedures she employs to consider the suitability for export of(a) defensive and (b) offensive weapons; and if she will make a statement. [64219]
§ Nigel Griffiths[holding answer 24 June 2002]: The Government rigorously assesses export licence application to determine the risk of the proposed export being misused in contravention of the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria. I refer the hon Member to the reply from my right hon. Friend, the Member for Neath, the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to my hon. Friend, the Member for Crawley on 26 October 2000, Official Report, columns 199–203W.
The Government have taken a number of steps to strengthen the process of risk assessment at the licensing stage and continue to consider ways of further improving procedures in this area.