Export Control
10:30 am
Mr Nigel Griffiths (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry; Edinburgh South, Labour)
On a point of order, Mr. Benton. I should like to make a short statement to the Committee.First, Mr. Benton, I welcome you to the Chair. I also welcome the hon. Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key) to the Committee. The hon. Member for South-West Hertfordshire (Mr. Page) played a constructive part in our deliberations of this important Bill, as have all hon. Members, and I know that the hon. Member for Salisbury, too, will make a valuable contribution to our debates.
This vital Bill has taken on added significance in the light of recent tragic events in America. Indeed, combating terrorism is one of the purposes for which we impose export controls, a fact that is made explicit in the schedule to the Bill. The other core aims of the Bill are as follows. First, it makes provision for greater democratic accountability by setting out in legislation the purposes for which export controls may be imposed, and by providing parliamentary scrutiny of secondary legislation made under the Bill. Secondly, it increases transparency by legally requiring Ministers to publish an annual report on export controls. Thirdly, it introduces powers to create a new licensing regime for arms trafficking and brokering, and to control the provision of technical assistance to weapons of mass destruction or related missile programmes. In summary, it modernises legislation dating back to 1939, and gives us an arms control regime fit for the 21st century and the challenges that we now face.
I also draw the Committee's attention to the fact that I shall be answering a written parliamentary question on the Bill today. In my reply, I discuss the dummy orders that the Department of Trade and Industry published earlier this month. The DTI has received numerous representations from the Quadripartite Committee, industry and non-governmental organisations, all seeking an opportunity to comment on secondary legislation to be made under the Bill.
Over the summer, I have been conscious that it is only right and proper that Parliament should be the first to see the draft dummy orders. We will need to discuss implementation of changes with all interested parties, especially those who will be most affected by those changes—preferably in the spring, at or near the time of Royal Assent. Although debates on primary legislation are an excellent forum for discussion of the Bill and of Government decisions on matters of principle, that is not the logical way to discuss the detail of secondary legislation.
For all those reasons, I am delighted to announce that we intend to hold a full public consultation on drafts of the orders that will be made following enactment of the Bill. That public consultation will give all interested parties an opportunity to comment on the details of the proposed secondary legislation. I know that the Committee will agree that providing an opportunity for the secondary legislation to be scrutinised in detail by public consultation will be of benefit to all, including Members of the House.
I shall ensure that copies of the written question and my reply are made available to the Committee by placing them on the Table as soon as possible.