To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department takes to ensure that weapons sold to or gifted to Iraq reach their designated destination and end user.
Answered on
12 September 2017
All exports of controlled military equipment and dual-use equipment are assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. Similarly, Government proposals to gift controlled military equipment and dual-use equipment are also assessed against the Consolidated Criteria, with the same degree of rigour.
The Consolidated Criteria provide a thorough risk assessment framework, which requires us to think hard about the impact of providing equipment. Under Criterion 7, we would not grant an export licence, or gift equipment, if there was an unacceptable risk that the items would be diverted within the destination country or re-exported under undesirable conditions.