DEFENCE EXPORT SERVICES ORGANISATION

Early day motion 1798, tabled 13 March 2006 by Charles Kennedy (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 64 members.

That this House notes that the Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO) is the unit of the UK Ministry of Defence which helps UK companies sell their military equipment and services overseas; further notes that through DESO, the UK taxpayer subsidises the export of arms into areas of conflict and to governments that abuse human rights; further notes that the trade in military equipment damages economic development at global, regional and local economic levels; and calls on the Government to close the DESO, not to transfer its functions elsewhere in the public sector nor to allocate public funds to enable them to be undertaken in the private sector.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 36, Labour 25, Plaid Cymru 1, Respect 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.