§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people his Department employs(a) in the United Kingdom and (b) abroad to facilitate overseas defence sales. [122247]
§ Mr. Hain[holding answer 16 May 2000]: Government support for defence equipment exports is co-ordinated by the Defence Export Services Organisation of the Ministry of Defence. Overseas, this work is normally carried out by Defence Attaches and Defence Sales Sections. Although FCO staff contribute towards this work in a number of ways there are no staff directly employed to facilitate overseas Defence Sales.
The role of FCO departments in London is to provide advice to the Department of Trade and Industry on applications for export licences for defence equipment sales overseas.