HC Deb 29 November 2001 vol 375 cc1046-7W
Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what controls there are to ensure that British arms manufacturers who manufacture arms abroad are regulated properly. [18670]

Nigel Griffiths

[holding answer 28 November 2001]: Controls already apply to the export of goods or technology required for the development, production or use of military equipment and other equipment subject to export control. Such controls would apply to exports intended for use in overseas production. The Export Control Bill would add to the range of controls available to Government by providing the power to control the electronic transfer of military technology currently only applicable for dual-use items. The Government are consulting EU partners about including an explicit reference to overseas production in the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports.

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures contained in the Export Controls Bill will control the activities of British brokers in supplying arms if they make a deal outside of the United Kingdom. [18669]

Nigel Griffiths

[holding answer 28 November 2001]: Clause 4 of the Export Control Bill would provide the Secretary of State with powers to make orders in connection with trade controls, commonly referred to as trafficking and brokering. This power would allow such controls to be imposed on acts carried out abroad by a United Kingdom person or by a person acting under the control of a United Kingdom person. As set out in the dummy orders relating to the Bill, which were made available to Parliament in October, the Government propose to introduce controls on trafficking and brokering by United Kingdom persons overseas of equipment whose export has been banned because of evidence of its use in torture and long-range missiles, and trafficking and brokering by such persons to any destination subject to a UN, EU, OSCE or UK arms embargo.