§ The Minister for Trade and Investment (Mr. Mike O'Brien)The 2002 Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls will be published at 14.30 today as a Command Paper, and copies will be placed in the Library of the House. The Report includes information on licensing decisions made during 2002 as well as describing UK policy and international developments in export control regimes.
Since 1997 the Government have taken great strides to make our defence exports licensing system one of the most rigorous and open in the world and this annual report, the sixth of its kind, is a symbol of our commitment to transparency and accountability. The report will be available on the FCO website and also published through The Stationery Office.