§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
On how many occasions in the past 15 months at arms exhibitions or fairs held within the United Kingdom anti-personnel mines or equipment which could be used as such have been exhibited; by whom 155WA they were exhibited; and how such exhibition relates to the United Kingdom Government's policy on the future use of anti-personnel mines. [HL4412]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanWe are aware of only one case in the past 15 months where literature mentioning anti-personnel mines was allegedly displayed. This case involved a Romanian company allegedly listing for sale an anti-personnel mine at the Defence Systems and Equipment International Exhibition at Chertsey on 14 to 17 September 1999. Romanian authorities have since contacted my department and admitted that, in error, the company had on its stand literature which mentioned an antipersonnel mine. They have informed us that they stopped manufacturing this item in 1990 but the company had not updated its equipment lists. We have received an apology from the Romanian authorities, but the Ministry of Defence Police is still investigating the matter and will submit a file to the Crown Prosecution Service in due course.
We are not aware of any other exhibitions in the UK which have been reported as promoting anti-personnel mines in the past 15 months.