§ 12. Mr. BrowneTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the proposals on arms brokering in the draft Export Control and Non-Proliferation Bill will apply to the activities of UK citizens operating wholly abroad. [159072]
§ Mr. ByersThe draft Bill contains a new general power to control trafficking and brokering carried out by persons in the UK or by UK persons abroad. The Government will use this power to control trafficking and brokering activities carried out by persons in the UK and by UK persons abroad, which involve the supply of arms to embargoed destinations, the supply of torture equipment or the supply of long-range missiles
The Government have also proposed to introduce a general licensing requirement on trafficking and brokering in weapons, ammunition and other key military and para-military equipment, to any destination. We are now consulting on the possibility of applying this licensing requirement to the activities of UK persons carried out 768W wholly abroad. A decision on this issue will be made in the light of the results of the consultation which closes on 24 May.
§ Ms Glenda JacksonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Government's proposals on arms brokering, set out in conjunction with the draft Export Control and Non-proliferation Bill, will apply to activities carried out by UK passport holders operating wholly abroad. [159707]
§ Dr. Howells[holding answer 2 May 2001]: The draft Export Control and Non-Proliferation Bill published on 29 March contains a new general power to control trafficking and brokering carried out by persons in the UK or by UK persons abroad. As explained in the introduction to the draft Bill, the Government will use this power to control trafficking and brokering activities carried out by persons in the UK, or by UK persons abroad, which involve the supply of arms to embargoed destinations, the supply of equipment designed primarily for torture or the supply of long-range missiles.
The Government have also proposed, following their review of the proposals contained in the 1998 White Paper on Strategic Export Controls, to introduce a general licensing requirement on trafficking and brokering in weapons, ammunition and other key military and paramilitary equipment, to any destination. The consultation document published with the draft Bill invites views on the possibility of applying this licensing requirement to the activities of UK persons carried out wholly abroad. A decision on this issue will be made in the light of the results of the consultation which closes on 24 May.