UK POLICY ON ARMS SALES

Early day motion 1576, tabled 8 July 2002 by Angus Robertson (Scottish National Party). Signed by 26 members.

That this House notes with concern reports that the Government are proposing to relax controls on sales of United Kingdom arms exports, with a Foreign Office source saying that under new guidelines it would be technically possible for British military components to end up in Israel or Kashmir, as reported in the Herald newspaper of 8th July; further notes that this violates the rule that exports of military equipment are banned if there is a risk that they could be used for internal repression or external aggression; believes that this rule has already been violated given the contents of a letter from the Foreign Secretary to the honourable Member for Banff and Buchan of 24th June, which contained information that the Government continued to issue licences for arms sales to India and Pakistan following the military build-up that took place between these countries; further notes the arms trade fair held in London last 11th September, sponsored by the Ministry of Defence, at which representatives of India, Pakistan, Israel, Angola and Uganda among many others were invited, thus potentially adding to conflict in the sub-continent, the Middle East and Africa; and calls on the Government to implement tighter, not ever more permissive rules controlling the export of United Kingdom arms and military equipment.

Signatures by party: Labour 12, Liberal Democrat 5, Scottish National Party 5, Plaid Cymru 3, Labour/Co-operative 1.