§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what response he has made to the recent representations from international charities about an international arms trade treaty. [151118]
§ Hilary BennI wrote to Oxfam, Amnesty International and the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) on 18 October, welcoming the launch of the Arms Trade Treaty as a useful contribution to the international debate on arms issues. The UK supports the goal of an international instrument on arms transfers, although to be effective any such measure would have to enjoy the support of all major arms exporting countries.
The UK Government are working to promote tougher controls on arms exports at an international level. In January 2003, DFID, FCO and MOD hosted a conference at Lancaster House on strengthening international controls on arms exports. The UK organised a meeting during the July UN Biennial Meeting of States on Small Arms, which sought to follow up on the Lancaster House conference.
These consultations suggest that there are many areas of common ground and significant political will among States. They also demonstrate that more needs to be done before we can secure a universal commitment to strengthening export controls.
In the next two years the UK will continue to call for international controls and support a series of regional meetings, to build consensus on the need for common, harmonised controls. We hope that if there is sufficient support at the regional level, then an international agreement could be reached by the 2006 UN Review 513W Conference on Small Arms. Although the draft Arms Trade Treaty covers all arms, not just Small Arms and Light Weapons, many of its principles are similar to those we are promoting as part of the UK initiative on strengthening transfer controls.
Between 2001 and 2004, the UK is providing over £20 million to programmes targeted at controlling the supply, demand and availability of arms.