1 INTRODUCTION
1. An effective arms export control regime can make
an important contribution to the security of the United Kingdom
and the world. States have a right to defend themselves against
external threats and to prevent domestic insecurity. But the weapons
and equipment which enable national defence and internal security
can also be used aggressively against other states, and for internal
repression. Yesterday's ally of convenience can become today's
enemy. Future generations must not have cause to regret equipment
supplied today to allies in the war against terror.
2. Materials and technologies which can be used to
manufacture weapons of mass destruction must be kept out of the
hands of states and potential terrorist groups seeking to develop
capabilities in this area. But at the same time, many of these
materials and technologies have legitimate civilian uses, which
it is not always reasonable or practical to restrict. The defence
industries have an important role in the prosperity and security
of the country which the Government is right to promote. But strong
and effective regulation is necessary to ensure that they remain
a force for security, not a cause of instability.
3. The purpose of a strategic export control regime
is to steer a course between these often conflicting considerations.
4. Since April 1999, the Defence, Foreign Affairs,
International Development and Trade and Industry Committees have
regularly met together to consider the arms export control regime—an
arrangement which has become known as the "Quadripartite
Committee". Our first joint Report in the current Parliament
was published in July 2001.[1]
That Report contains detailed background information on the history
of the "Quadripartite Committee", explains the mechanics
of the Government's licensing process for strategic exports and
describes the Consolidated Criteria against which the Government
assesses licence applications.[2]
5. The Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export
Controls have been the focus of much of the Committees' work.
The first Annual Report (for 1997) was published in March 1999.
The most recently published Annual Report, that for 2001, was
published in July 2002.[3]
Although this inquiry has centred around the 2001 Annual Report,
we have also taken more recent developments into account.
6. In the course of this inquiry, we have sought
extensive written clarification from the Government (much of it
classified) on information in the 2001 Annual Report. Although
we are constrained in how we can use classified information in
a public document, our aim is to be as open as possible. The unclassified
information we have received from the Government is published
as evidence with this Report.[4]
We are also publishing written submissions that we have received
from a variety of sources.[5]
We are grateful to those who have supplied this material.
7. On 27 February we took oral evidence from the
Foreign Secretary, some of it in private. We are publishing with
this Report the transcript of the public session, and most of
the transcript of the private session, leaving out only those
sections which the Government has asked us not to publish for
reasons of confidentiality.[6]
8. This Report follows fairly closely the template
set by previous inquiries. We look in turn at:
- the conduct of the inquiry itself, and its implications
for our scrutiny of the Government,
- individual cases arising from the 2001 Annual
Report, both where we can give reassurance that licences have
been properly granted and where we continue to have concerns,
- more general policy issues,
- the format and content of the Government's Annual
Reports, and
- the administration of the licensing system.
1 Defence, Foreign Affairs, International Development
and Trade and Industry Committees, First Joint Report of Session
2001-02, Strategic Export Controls: Annual Report for 2000, Licensing
Policy and Prior Parliamentary Scrutiny, HC 718 Back
2
HC (2001-02) 718, paras 5-31 Back
3
Ministry of Defence, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department
of Trade and Industry, Strategic Export Controls: Annual Report
2001, Cm 5559, July 2002 (henceforth, "2001 Annual Report") Back
4
Ev 21-35 Back
5
Ev 17-20, 38-47 Back
6
Ev 1-16 Back
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