§ Mr. GardinerTo ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment his Department has made of(a) the impact of the trade in small guns in developing countries and (b) the recommendations of the OSCE conference in Prague on 20 to 23 May 2003. [119311]
§ Hilary BennThe impact of the trade in small arms on development is of great concern both to the UK Government and other international bodies who are trying to combat the effects of this trade. The UK Government recently sponsored a 3-day workshop on integrating small arms controls into development assistance. A key finding was the need for further research and analysis of the development implications of small arms proliferation, including the impact of the trade in small guns. DFID will commission this research shortly, and aims to disseminate results by the end of 2003. The UK Government will also be playing a leading role in discussions on the links between small arms proliferation and development at the UN Biennial Meeting of States in July to review progress on implementation of the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms.
DFID did not attend the OSCE Economic Forum on Trafficking in Human Beings, Drugs, Small Arms and Light Weapons: National and International Economic Impact, held in Prague on 20 to 23 May 2003. DFID has 123W however noted the recommendations of the forum with interest, and supports the OSCE's further efforts to address these issues. Many of these recommendations concur with our own assessments of the action needed to be taken to combat such trafficking.