§ Mr. StreeterTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what policy has been adopted with regard to the sale of self-reloading rifles no longer required by the British Army. [126461]
§ Mr. Hoon[holding answer 19 June 2000]Our policy is that small arms (other than automatic weapons which are routinely destroyed) which are declared surplus by the Ministry of Defence area available only to Governments, including acceptable military, paramilitary and police organisations (either directly or through duly licensed entities authorised to procure weapons on their behalf), to meet their legitimate defence and security requirements. All such transfers are assessed on a case by case basis against the UK national export licence assessment criteria and the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports.
In practice, few inquiries are received for the purchase of surplus small arms and the reality is that most are destroyed.