§ Mr. GardinerTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the feasibility of using(a) mutual and (b) multilateral legal assistance treaties to allow the UK Government to develop effective end-user controls of arms shipments from the UK. [129849]
§ Mr. MacShaneI have been asked to reply.
The Government have a system for the post-export monitoring of UK-origin arms. Where there is a case of diversion or fraud by a private individual, we look to cooperate with the authorities of friendly countries to bring the perpetrators to justice. Legal assistance treaties are of little use in cases of alleged misuse by Governments.