Arms Trade: Regulation
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure controlled UK miliary items are not exported without proper authorisation.
Answered by Chris Bryant
Any exporter seeking to export controlled items is subject to the UK’s Export Control regime as established under the Export Control Act 2002. All applications for export licences are assessed against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria.
Overall responsibility for enforcement of export controls rests with HMRC. HMRC works closely with Border Force to conduct customs checks to ensure exports are appropriately licences and, where necessary, seize goods at the port.
The export of goods in contravention of our licensing controls is a serious offence and can result in a substantial prison sentence.
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