HL Deb 17 November 2004 vol 666 cc165-6WA
Lord Avebury

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will seek information from the United Nations Secretary-General on the extent to which southern African governments have complied with his request, made in 1998, that they restrict defence expenditure to 1.5 per cent of their gross domestic product. [HL4879]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

The UK supported the UN Secretary-General's report on sustainable development in Africa in 1998 which included the recommendation that governments in Africa restrict their defence expenditure. The purpose of the recommendation was to diminish the threat which the proliferation of small arms poses for Africa.

The Secretary-General has published regular and comprehensive reports on this subject since 1998 which measure the reduction in the proliferation of small arms.

I have placed the most recent report, published on 20 August 2004, in the Library of the House.