Recommendations from the Quadripartite Committee

Andrew Blick (London, Houses of Parliament): I have just got myself a copy of the annual report by the Commons Committee on Strategic Export Controls (the report has not been released yet but the committee homepage is here). Known as the 'Quadripartite Committee' it includes members from the Defence, Foreign Affairs, International Development and Trade and Industry select committees. It's a very worthwhile body, the basic function of which is to assess whether goods exported under licence from the UK might have been used for acts of repression or international destabilisation. What does this report tell us? There are some real problems with selling arms to an 'approved' country (such as India) which might then export them on to a less pleasant regime (such as Burma). Overseas companies owned largely by UK parents are not yet subject to full export controls. The Committee wants to see an end to the blanket exemption from export controls as applied to the UK government and its agencies (as opposed to commercial firms). Finally it has reiterated a request that it be enabled to scrutinise sensitive export decision in advance of their being granted. At present the committee can only examine exports which have already taken place. In any new constitutional settlement Parliament should have a role in the taking of decisions, rather than just examining them when it is too late. A good way to instigate this necessary cultural change would be for the government at last to accede to this longstanding request by the Quadripartite Committee.