Four Government departments have responsibility for arms export issues...
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
The UK government's promotion of military exports is co-ordinated by the UK Trade & Investment Defence & Security Organisation which has 160 civil and military staff. BIS, together with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, is the joint parent department of UKTI. The export licensing system is also administered by BIS, although licence applications are circulated to the other departments for comment. The UK Export Finance, formerly the Export Credits Guarantee Department, which offers interest support and financial insurance, is responsible to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills is Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable MP;
Lord Stephen Green is the Minister for Trade and Investment responsible for UKTI DSO
and the ECGD;
Mark Prisk MP is the Minister responsible export controls.
Ministry of Defence
The MoD offers expert advice and assistance on military and technical matters to the UKTI Defence & Security Organisation. MODSAP, the MoD's Saudi Armed Forces Project, has 200 staff supporting the UK's arms sales to Saudi Arabia. It also advices the Export Control Organisation on the possible diversion of the exports to third countries, and on the potential risk of the export to the UK or its armed forces.
Secretary of State for Defence is Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP.
Peter Luff MP is Minister for
Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, overseeing equipment purchases and industrial
strategy;
Gerald Howarth MP is Minister for International Security Strategy, a post which
includes arms exports.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The FCO has responsibility for considering the foreign policy impact of the proposed exports, including the human rights implications. It also has general responsibilities to promote UK exports.
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs is Rt. Hon William Hague MP.
The responsibilities of the other members of the Ministerial team include
the following of relevance to arms exportars:
Jeremy Browne MP - South East Asia, Latin America and human rights;
Alistair Burt MP - the Middle East, South Asia and Counter Proliferation,
including the negotiation of an
arms trade treaty;
Henry Bellingham MP - Africa and Private Military and Security
Companies (as
"Corporate Mercenaries"
are called by the Government).
Department for International Development
The Department is doing interesting work on small arms, including supporting the West African moratorium on their import and export. It is also looking at military expenditures, and at security sector reform. DfID offers advice on the potential impact of proposed exports on the development of poor countries.
Secretary of State for International Development is Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP.
Opposition frontbench
The Labour frontbenchers with relevant responsibilitis are:
Shadow Business Secretary - Chuka Umunna MP. His deputy with responsibility for trade, including UKTI DSO, is Lord Wilf Stevenson, while
Toby Perkins MP has the shadow arms control portfolio;
Shadow Defence Secretary - Jim Murphy MP;
Shadow Foreign Secretary - Douglas Alexander MP;
Shadow International Development Secretary - Harriet Harman MP.
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