Committees on Arms ExportsLetter to the Chair of the Committees from the Rt Hon William Hague MP, First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Thank you for your letter of 21 July about the US-UK Defence Trade Cooperation Treaty.

I can assure you that the Treaty will not lead to any change in the level of disclosure about exports of controlled goods from the UK to the US on departmental websites or our regular information exchanges with the Committees on Arms Export Controls. Exports from the UK to the US under the Treaty will continue to be licensed and, as now, it is expected most such exports will be under Open General Export Licence (OGEL). The fact that we have committed to a Treaty-specific OGEL should only have minimal impact in this respect. The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills will of course continue to report on individual licences granted and to provide general information on OGELs in the same way and to the same extent that they do now, regardless of whether the exports or transfers are under the Treaty or not.

In response to the points raised by Caroline Lucas, the Government will continue to provide information to the Chair of the Committees on Arms Export Controls in a transparent and timely manner, allowing them to continue their vital role examining the UK’s strategic export controls.

5 August 2011