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

The quarterly Arms Export Licence approvals published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills for first three quarters for 2011 included the following licence approvals of arms exports to China:

1 January–31 March 2011:

body armour;

equipment for the production of military communications equipment;

general military vehicle components;

small arms ammunition (two licences);

technology for military communications equipment; and

weapon sights.

1 April–30 June:

aircraft military communications equipment (two licences);

components for combat aircraft (two licences);

components for combat naval vessels;

components for military aero-engines;

components for military patrol/assault craft; and

unfinished products for military aero-engines (two licences).

1 July–30 September:

body armour;

technology for military communications equipment (two licences);

cryptographic software;

equipment employing cryptography;

aircraft military communications equipment;

components for combat helicopters; and

components for military helicopters.

Please would you provide the Committees with an explanation of why licences were granted for the export of these arms to China notwithstanding The UK/EU Consolidated Criteria and the declaration by the Madrid European Council on 27 June 1989 that established an arms embargo on China.

The Committees have noted that the UK Government’s interpretation of the embargo, as stated in the quarterly Arms Export Licence approvals, is that the embargo applies to: “lethal weapons such as machine guns, large calibre weapons, bombs, torpedoes, rockets and missiles; specially designed components of these items and ammunition; military aircraft and helicopters, vessels of war, armoured fighting vehicles and other such weapons platforms; and any equipment which might be used for internal repression.”

A copy of this letter is also being sent to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The Committees would be grateful for your reply before Vince Cable and you give Oral Evidence to the Committees on 7 February.

25 January 2012