§ Mr. GardinerTo ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what steps have been taken by the Department to assist developing countries in increasing security for legal stockpiles of armaments. [131139]
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Mr. Gareth ThomasThe UK recognises that improving stockpile security is a key component of efforts to prevent the Proliferation of illegal armaments. The UK provides limited assistance to countries on security for legally held stockpiles of small arms. Through the Global Conflict Prevention Pool Small Arms Strategy, the UK provides support to the work of UNDP's South Eastern Europe Small Arms Clearing House, which has provided training and assistance to states in that region on stockpile security. In Sierra Leone, the UK provided training to the military and security forces on weapons management and security systems as part of a wider package of support for restructuring the military forces after the conflict.
The UK was a key contributor to the development of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Best Practice Guidelines on Stockpile Management, published earlier this year, and is currently working with the OSCE to devise ways to support the operationalisation of these Guidelines.
DFID, the FCO and the MOD are also looking at ways to increase provision of technical guidance and assistance in this area within the context of security sector reform programmes.
§ Mr. GardinerTo ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development pursuant to his answer of 17 June,Official Report, column 122W, on the gun trade, what assessment he has made of the impact of export control legislation on the proliferation of small arms in developing countries; and whether the Government raised the issue of export control legislation and the proliferation of small arms at the UN Biennial Meeting of States in July. [129808]
Mr. Gareth ThomasThe UK believes that stronger export control legislation is an important way of tackling the proliferation of small arms in developing countries, and is committed to working with our international partners to strengthen existing legislation at the national, regional and international levels. However, legislation also requires effective and sustained enforcement, and the UK government provides support to ensure effective implementation and enforcement of that legislation.
The UK Government made export control legislation one of its priorities for the UN Biennial Meeting of States, and made a strong statement on the need to strengthen and enforce export controls during the plenary session. The UK also co-sponsored a side meeting for interested states to consider ways of achieving this. This meeting established a considerable degree of support, particularly for regional processes as an interim stage to securing greater international agreement. The UK is now discussing options for taking this process forward with possible co-partners, including UK support for regional processes, and remains committed to working with our partners internationally to secure stronger export controls on transfers of small arms.
§ Mr. GardinerTo ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what steps the Department has taken to help developing countries 1003W use and develop their air traffic control infrastructures to reduce the number of illicit arms shipments arriving in their countries. [131149]
§ Hilary BennThe UK currently focuses its assistance on strengthening policing, customs and border control in developing countries as a means of helping them to reduce the number of illicit arms shipments arriving in their countries. This work is funded under the Global Conflict Pool Small Arms Strategy. The Pool has not provided any direct assistance to developing countries to develop their air traffic control infrastructure.