Memorandum from the Export Control Organisation,
Department of Trade and Industry
ASSAULT RIFLES
Thank you for your letter of 7 July to the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office, which has been passed to me for a reply.
As you know, I am responsible for export control but I have coordinated
the following reply with the Import Licensing Branch in DTI.
Question 1: Import licences issued for assault
rifles
The DTI's Import Licensing Branch issues licences
for the import of firearms and ammunition. Import licences are
only granted to those with domestic authority to possess firearms
under the Firearms Act 1968 (as amended) (FA 1968), so in effect,
the import licensing regime backs up domestic controls on firearms
possession, which are the responsibility of the Home Office.
Between 2003 and 2005 import licences which
specifically referred to assault rifles were issued as follows:
— 2003—40 licences covering 6,220
assault rifles.
— 2004—16 licences covering 226
assault rifles.
— 2005—40 licences covering 194,659
assault rifles.
If you require any further information on import
licensing, you will need to contact:
Import Licensing Branch
Queensway House
West Precinct
Billingham
TS23 2NF
Question 2: Export Licence issued for Assault
Rifles
During the last three years, the Export Control
Organisation (ECO) has issued SIELs covering assault rifles as
follows:
— 2003—43 SIELs allowing the
export of 1,202 assault rifles.
— 2004—47 SIELs allowing the
export of 2,205 assault rifles.
— 2005—56 SIELs covering 2,502
assault rifles.
Some of these weapons were exported solely for
the purposes of film production, (usually on a temporary basis—ie
the weapons would have been returned to the UK within 12 months
of their original export); or for resale to private collectors.
In these cases, the weapons would have been deactivated prior
to export. Each application would have been rigorously risk assessed
against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing
Criteria. Applications to export small arms or light weapons have
in the past been refused because the UK had concerns about the
described end use, or, more generally, was concerned about the
ability of the destination country to operate rigorous arms controls.
There were also six OIELs granted during the
period for the export of broad categories of weapons which could
include assault rifles. One of these was a temporary OIEL for
film production purposes as above; the remaining five were for
exports to countries with rigorous firearm control regimes.
OIELs are not normally quantity limited and
so it is not possible to state precisely how many assault rifles
(if indeed, there were any) were exported under cover of these
OIELs. However, before any OIEL is granted, a range of factors
are taken into account, including the items to be exported, the
destination(s), the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing
Criteria, and that the exporter has the relevant authorisations
to hold firearms in the UK. The ECO also carry out regular audits
of OIEL holders to ensure that they are complying with the OIELs
and any particular conditions applied to them.
THE OBSERVER
ARTICLE OF
25 JUNE
The facts of this case are as follows:
— A registered UK firearms dealer did
import approximately 20,000 assault rifles from Bosnia in May/June
2005. In this context is it important to bear in mind that the
removal of weapons from the Former Republic of Yugoslavia is an
agreed objective of both NATO and the UN, and is fully supported
by the UK. The UNDP has been active in running a programme for
the destruction or removal of weapons from the Former Republic
of Yugoslavia, and NATO has also played its part in arms reduction
in the region, under Project Harvest (formerly Operation Harvest).
The UK fully supports both the UN and NATO in their objectives.
— Import licence procedures were fully
complied with.
— These firearms remain lodged in a
secure storage facility within the UK and the relevant authorities
continue to conduct checks on them in line with normal procedures.
Some weapons have already been deactivated and many more will
be, in a series of transactions. Those who hold the weapons understand
that if they subsequently enter into negotiations to export them,
export licence applications will be necessary (and will, of course,
be rigorously risk assessed by Export Control Organisation).
August 2006
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