§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Defence what safeguards exist to ensure that arms exports to non-North Atlantic Treaty Organisation states are not subsequently used against the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. ButlerEach arms sale overseas requires an export licence. All applications for export licences are very carefully considered on a case by case basis. In order to ensure that it is, in every respect, in the national interest, a wide range of political, strategic, economic and security factors are taken into account before any licence is granted.