Evidence on Private Military
Companies (HC 115)
38. The further evidence on private military companies
which we published at the very end of 2003 followed up our Report
of August 2002. It became clear by early 2004 that, although the
Government's Green Paper of February 2002 had been an attempt
to set a course for legislation to regulate the activities of
private military companies, no further action was expected in
the near term. Official use of such companies had, however, increased
significantly following the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
39. We therefore returned to this issue in our July
2004 Report on Foreign Policy Aspects of the War against Terrorism,
where we concluded that "the increase in the use of private
military or security companies in Iraq and Afghanistan in the
last two years has added to the case for regulation of these companies,
where appropriate, by the British Government." We recommended
that the Government "either bring forward legislation to
introduce a regulatory regime for private military companies,
or explain in full its reasons for not doing so."[24]
The FCO responded that "the Foreign Secretary has asked officials
to undertake a further detailed review of options for regulation.
The Government will keep the Committee fully informed of its thinking
in this area."[25]
We look forward to seeing the results of this review, which we
trust will be available shortly, in view of the continued use
of these companies in sensitive and high-profile roles in Iraq
and elsewhere.
24 
