§ Richard Younger-RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what ammunition has been sent abroad for disposal under civilian contract since 1997; and to which countries they have been sent. [97287]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 10 February 2003]: Since 1997, surplus (5.56mm, 7.62mm and 0.303mm) small arms ammunition has been sold overseas. The countries it was sold to are the United States, Netherlands, Australia, Finland, Philippines, Canada and Latvia. Additionally, in 1999, 10,000 Self Loading Rifles (SLRs) with 7.62mm ammunition were sold to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which subsequently gifted them to the Government of Sierra Leone as part of a wider assistance package.