§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what additional measures she intends to put in place to ensure that arms sold to Saudi Arabia are not passed on to third countries with which Her Majesty's Government would not wish to trade. [5688]
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§ Mr. SpellarMost defence exports to Saudi Arabia are the result of Government to Government arrangements. I am withholding specific details of these arrangements under Exemption 1 (Defence, Security and International Relations) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. However, it is normal practice to include a clause in memoranda of understanding which prohibits the transfer of material to third parties without the approval of the UK Government.
For exports, to all countries, not covered by Government to Government arrangements, the risk of diversion to third countries is taken into account in considering export licence applications. Where appropriate, the Government asks for end-user undertakings to ensure that goods will not be re-exported. We are committed to strengthening the monitoring of the end-use of defence exports to prevent diversion to third countries and to ensure that exported equipment is use only on the conditions under which the export licence has been granted. Work is in hand to take forward this commitment.