§ Lord AVEBURYasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many people were employed in the Defence Sales Organisation at the end of December 1979 and a year earlier respectively; what are the terms of reference of this organisation and, whether it has been given any rules in relation to the sale of arms to repressive régimes.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, MINISTRY of DEFENCE (Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal)At the end of December 1979 there were 378 members of the Defence Sales Organisation, including 18 military personnel. The equivalent figures for the previous year were 400 and 19 respectively. The role of the organisation is to stimulate overseas interest in British equipment, to negotiate Government-to-Government sales, to provide support to British companies in firm-to-Government sales, and to ensure that full account is taken of the sales interest in the development of operational requirements for our own Services.
478WASales of defence equipment overseas are subject to control under the Government's export licensing system. Each case is carefully considered on its merits. Among the factors considered before a decision is taken are our international obligations, the likely use to which the equipment might be put and the human rights record of the Government concerned.
House adjourned at twenty-two minutes before eleven o'clock.