UK ARMS EXPORTS

Early day motion 1551, tabled 23 May 2007 by John Barrett (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 37 members.

That this House welcomes the publication of the Saferworld report The Good, the Bad and the Ugly; notes that the UK is the world's second largest exporter of arms; acknowledges that the Government has tightened export controls on arms sales since 1997; nevertheless believes that the current arrangement is failing properly to ensure that arms exported from the UK do not find their way to conflict zones; notes that in the three years up to 2006 arms exports were approved to 19 of 20 states identified by the Government as countries of concern; believes that not enough is being done to trace arms exports once they leave the UK; and calls on the Government further to tighten export controls and introduce new and more stringent checks on the end-use of arms exports from the UK.

Signatures by party: Labour 16, Liberal Democrat 14, Scottish National Party 3, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, Conservative 1, Plaid Cymru 1.