Foreign,Commonwealth and Development Office
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Foreign Office publishes 11th Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls
The Government's 2007 Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls is published today. The Report describes UK policy and international developments in export control regimes, as well as including information on licensing decisions made during 2006. It is a demonstration of our commitment to cooperate fully with the relevant parliamentary committees that scrutinise export control decisions.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister, Dr Kim Howells, said:
"The Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls was introduced by the Government to enable Parliament and the public to hold us to account. This will be the Government's eleventh report (the first was published in 1997). The annual report and our regular in-year quarterly reports are recognised worldwide as models for open and comprehensive presentations of strategic export control policy. We are proud of our defence export licensing system, which is one of the most rigorous in the world. 2007 also saw a major review of export control secondary legislation, and the review findings are being published.
"Separately, we have a productive dialogue with Civil Society who play a useful role in highlighting the humanitarian and economic costs of unregulated trade in arms. We also foster a good relationship with the UK defence industry."
"Since 2005 the UK has promoted the moral, humanitarian and developmental case for a legally-binding international Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) to tackle this trade more effectively. Throughout 2007 the UK continued to push for an ATT to become a reality. We will continue to make the case for it through 2008 and the coming years".
NOTE TO EDITORS:
The report can be seen on the FCO website:
http://www.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/4103709/2007-ar-uk-strat-exp-conts
Copies have also been placed in the House of Commons Library.
Press Office, Downing Street (West), London SW1A 2AL
