Arms Sales

HC Deb 25 March 1998 vol 309 cc169-70W

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he made of proposals that the EU Code of Conduct on arms sales should be reviewed annually and that each review should be made available to the public. [35599]

Mr. Fatchett

Discussions with EU partners on the proposed Code of Conduct are ongoing. We have no difficulty in principle with the idea of an annual review of the Code's operation. The details of a review remain to be agreed.

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultation he had with non-Governmental organisations prior to the negotiations for the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Sales. [35600]

Mr. Fatchett

Ministers and Officials have discussed the proposed EU Code of Conduct on arms exports with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on a number of occasions, although NGOs were not consulted on the draft text. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary held the most recent discussions on the EU Code of Conduct with NGO's on 18 February.