Source · Select Committees · Committees on Arms Export Controls
Recommendation 2
2
Accepted
We acknowledge that the Annual Report contains a substantial amount of information that is helpful...
Recommendation
We acknowledge that the Annual Report contains a substantial amount of information that is helpful for our inquiries and that strategic export controls cover a wide range of areas so it is not always clear which specific topics will arise as our inquiry proceeds. However, it is regrettable that the Government have in recent years only seen fit to submit a one-page letter welcoming our inquiries and giving a very brief general overview of its performance and policy developments during the year. We would, at the very least, expect the Government to submit written evidence addressing the inquiry’s terms of reference. This would potentially save a lot of subsequent enquiries to the Government as our inquiry proceeds. We also expect the Government to be more proactive in notifying us of proposed policy developments. (Paragraph 16) Strategic Export Controls Annual Reports
Government Response Summary
The government notes the committee's expectations, highlighting that the Annual Report is substantive and that ECJU has already provided extensive written information throughout the inquiry to supplement it, suggesting current practices are sufficient.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Government notes the Committees’ conclusions. As the Committees recognise, the Strategic Export Controls Annual Report is a substantive and thorough public record of the Government’s activities in relation to export control. In providing written evidence to assist and inform the CAEC’s inquiry the Government aimed to provide information that was additional to, but not duplicative of, information provided in our Annual Report. As the Committees are aware, ECJU has provided written information throughout the period of enquiries. This includes in March 2021 data on compliance and enforcement to allow for comparison with the data in the 2019 Annual Report evidence about the transformation programme information on transparency, public databases, delays on LITE, Transformation Programme, staffing levels, the updated Criteria and post shipment verification in May 2022 and in June 2022 information as requested by the CAEC planned oral evidence.