§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library(a) a list of the items that he submits to the United Nations arms register and (b) the returns he has made to that register; and what proposals he has to extend the scope of the register.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggA copy of the United Kingdom return to the UN register of conventional arms is placed in the Library each year. Each return includes any items contained in the seven categories of equipment where such imports and exports have taken place. The categories are battle tanks, armoured combat vehicles, large calibre artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships and missiles and missiles launchers. The UK return also includes background information on national holdings and procurement from national production of62W equipment in the seven categories, and a statement of UK policy.
An international group of governmental experts met last summer to discuss the operation of the register and ways in which it may be developed. There was no consensus for change then, but future groups of experts will look at this question again.