FOREWORD BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE

This White Paper contains the Government’s proposals for a new legislative framework for strategic export controls and improvements to export licensing procedures. As such it responds to the recommendation by Sir Richard Scott in his Report of the Inquiry into the Export of Defence Equipment and Dual-Use Goods to Iraq and Related Prosecutions, that the Government should conduct a thorough review of these areas.

The power to control the export of goods and technology for strategic reasons is vital for any responsible Government committed to preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, protecting the security of the United Kingdom and of our EU partners and other allies, and generally preventing armed aggression and internal repression. It is equally important in a modern democracy that the Government should be accountable to Parliament for the way it uses such powers. Sir Richard Scott criticised the lack of provision for such accountability in the current legislation governing export controls. We accept the validity of this criticism and propose that, as Sir Richard recommended, the purposes for which strategic export controls can be operated should be set out in legislation and provision made for parliamentary scrutiny of export control orders.

The Government believes that there is also a need to ensure that its strategic export control powers are brought up to date to enable it to deal with modern means of trading, such as transferring information via the Internet, and brokering deals involving the transfer of goods between two other countries.

Finally, the Government is aware that exporters need export licensing procedures that are both clear and consistent and the White Paper accordingly contains a number of proposals which we believe should help achieve this.

We hope that all those with an interest in strategic export controls will take the opportunity to comment on the proposals contained in this White Paper.