§ Ms Jenny JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures are being taken to incorporate arms brokerage within arms trade regulations covering United Kingdom companies. [63434]
§ Mrs. RocheThe Government do already impose controls on trafficking and brokering under the United Nations Act 1946 where this is necessary to implement a binding United Nations decision.
Section 3.3 of the White Paper on Strategic Export Controls, which was published on 1 July 1998, contains proposals to extend controls on trafficking and brokering to:
countries subject to other types of embargo, whether as a result of non-binding decisions of the UN or decisions of the EU, Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe or the UK Government;certain types of equipment, the export from the UK of which, has been banned because of evidence that goods of the same type have been used in torture;missiles capable of a range of at least 300 km.The proposals in Section 3.1 of the White Paper, to extend current controls on weapons of mass destruction, also include trafficking and brokering activity.
Now that the formal consultation process following publication of the White Paper has ended, we are reviewing all the proposals contained in the White Paper in the light of the responses received.