§ Mr. GardinerTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will extend the provisions in her Department's Consultation Document on Draft Orders to be made under the Export Control Act 2002 so as to apply the new provision on technical assistance to UK nationals knowingly or unknowingly supplying information on weapons of mass destruction. [106034]
§ Nigel GriffithsThe scope of the control on the provision of technical assistance in relation to weapons of mass destruction (WMD) was drawn up after consultation on the draft Export Control Bill which sought views on the Bill and on the Government's proposals for the content of the secondary legislation. The scope of this control is in line with both the new WMD controls on the transfer by any means of technology and with the WMD provisions contained in the EC Dual-Use Regulation. The EC Dual-Use Regulation requires member states to control the physical export and electronic transfer of dual-use goods or technology which the exporter or transferor knows, or has been informed, is or may be intended use in connection with WMD.
The new control on the provision of technical assistance applies to anyone in the UK or any UK person anywhere.