HL Deb 27 October 2003 vol 654 cc6-7WA
Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the future plans and programmes of the south-east Europe clearing house for the control of small arms and light weapons (SEESAC), supported by the United Nations Development Programme; whether they consider these should be improved; and, if so, how. [HL4812]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

SEESAC's future plans are to continue to provide operational, fund-raising and technical assistance, management information, co-ordination and overview of current and future efforts for the implementation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) activities in support of the Stability Pact Regional Implementation Plan in south-east Europe. This will include continuing to raise awareness among governments and civil society about small arms issues, and formulating national strategies for SALW control.

Specific pioneering projects include the development of micro-disarmament standards, a SALW awareness support pack and SALW survey protocols. Recent research into SALW-related community-based policing, illegal SALW trafficking, detection of concealed bulk ammunition, and an evaluation of UNDP Albania SALW project will now be integrated into future SALW control work within the region.

The Government fully support the excellent work being carried out by the SEESAC Centre. Since its inception in May 2002, SEESAC has demonstrated that it has the capability to provide high-quality technical and operational assistance to international efforts to curb the proliferation of, and misuse of, small arms and light weapons. SEESAC is an asset available not only for south-east Europe but for all organisations conducting SALW initiatives.

Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What co-operation and assistance they, the National Criminal Intelligence Service and Europol are offering to the South Eastern Co-operation Initiative (SECI) regional centre for combating trans-border crime, based in Romania, in particular to SECI's Task Force on Small Arms and Light Weapons. [HL4841]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

The UK supports the work of the Southeast European Co-operative Initiative (SECI) centre and provides valuable support in the form of liaison and technical training.

HM Customs and Excise have provided full training to Albanian customs and border patrol units in the areas of small arms and light weapons (SALW) detection and smuggling. The National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) (Firearms Unit) was instrumental in the development of a weapons and firearms intelligence training course to support individual countries for the SECI centre. This included training in deployable weapons intelligence units, the intelligence cycle, the Interpol Weapons and Explosives Tracing System (IWETS), a national intelligence model for SALW, a one-day participatory exercise and the detection of concealed bulk ammunition and weapons. Students from 11 countries in the region attended the course, representing national intelligence agencies, police criminal intelligence units and customs services.

NCIS has also assisted in the preparation for the SECI firearms-related project and has provided valuable analysis for a project that helps to enhance the overall work of the centre.

The issue of Europol's relationship with the SECI crime centre is currently being considered in working groups of the Justice and Home Affairs Council.