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`The decision to purchase was the Government of Tanzania`s, the decision to sell was BAE`s`
2007-03-28 08:56:59
By Guardian Reporter
In our series of texts from the Points of Order from the United Kingdom`s House of Commons debate on the sale of radar to Tanzania that was held on January 30, this year, Today`s piece focuses on the main subject of the debate—alleged corruption.
Hilary Benn (Secretary of State, Department for International Development)
Criterion 8 does not exactly say that. There will be an opportunity to review the Export Control Act 2002 during the year, and the House has the opportunity this evening to debate the issue, as we are doing.
We should always reflect on experience. In the end, the Government weighed these matters up and reached a view that the test in criterion 8 was not met.
However, there are lessons to be learned, and I shall come on to those.
I know that many Members are anxious to speak and I should like to make progress.
First, there was a need for clearer guidance within Whitehall.
We have now agreed guidance for officials when they look at the impact of proposed arms exports on a recipient country.
The principle that sustainable development must be taken into account in licensing decisions was enshrined in the Export Control Act 2002, which is one of the toughest licensing systems in the world.
The House should recognise that. DFID continues to play an active part in the licensing process. The Export Control Act is due for review this year.
The Department of Trade and Industry will lead the process, consulting widely with other Departments, Parliament and civil society.
One important area that we will look at is the activities of arms brokers, how well the current controls are working and whether they need to be strengthened.
The second question that we need to ask ourselves is how we continue to ensure, as a major exporter of defence equipment and as a major international donor, that UK arms exports do not undermine development. That is what we are concerned about.
We know that excessive spending on arms can divert money away from health and education, and irresponsible transfers can be used to ignite violence.
Nevertheless, all countries have a right to provide for their legitimate defence and security needs, and those of their citizens.
For that they need suitable equipment, and few developing countries have the means to manufacture that equipment. Most are dependent on arms imports.
In the circumstances, what we can do is to have the right framework for taking decisions about UK licensing decisions, but to recognise that that is not good enough if other countries do not follow the same approach.
That is why the UK has been leading the campaign for an international agreement, in the shape of an arms trade treaty, which would benefit everyone and which would also have the power to stop arms transfers that fuel violent conflict, particularly in the world’s poorest countries.
I turn to the second area of concern: corruption.
John Bercow (Buckingham, Conservative)
Does the Secretary of State believe in—and if he does, will he press for—the registration of brokers?
Hilary Benn (Secretary of State, Department for International Development)
As the hon. Gentleman knows, extra-territoriality currently applies to certain brokering activities abroad relating—from memory—to weapons of mass destruction, instruments of torture and brokering that contravenes international arms embargoes.
At the time we said that we wanted to see how the new arrangements worked.
Part of the purpose of the review of the legislation is to give the House the opportunity to reflect on that.
If the world did more to control the flow of small arms and light weapons, which are principally responsible for the terrible death toll in developing countries, I am sure the whole House would welcome that.
On the allegations of corruption, I am, of course, aware of them but as I said, I cannot comment on the details of an ongoing SFO inquiry.
However, I can assure the House that the Government are co-operating fully, and that the Tanzanian authorities have also extended full co-operation, indicating their seriousness in trying to combat corruption.
As in many low income countries, there is corruption in Tanzania, but progress has been made in combating it and in improving accountability.
Tanzania is currently one of the top rated low income countries in the World Bank’s country policy and institutional assessment, and Tanzanians surveyed in 2006 felt that corruption in their country was declining.
Susan Kramer (Richmond Park, Liberal Democrat)
The right hon. Gentleman has said in the past that where there is corruption—I cannot quote his words exactly—there is someone who accepts the bribe and a party that offers the bribe, who is equally culpable.
Does he agree that any instance where the UK Government are seen to accept corruption by the briber undermines any attempt to deal with corruption in any country?
Hilary Benn (Secretary of State, Department for International Development)
We do not accept corruption. That is the very reason that we passed legislation—not legislation that we found on the statute book in 1997 when we came into office—to make bribing a foreign official a criminal offence in this country.
Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham, Conservative)
How would the right hon.
Gentleman react to the recent comments from President Mbeki of South Africa, who alleges that we have been involved in corruption, so we are on a less sound footing for having a go at African countries that are involved in corruption?
Hilary Benn (Secretary of State, Department for International Development)
I do not know who the hon. Gentleman means when he says `we`, but if he is talking about the Government, I emphatically reject the charge that has been made.
What I would say to people who have made comment—I must be careful here, in view of the strictures on us referring to it—is that one decision in relation to one case does not make a Government policy.
In a moment I shall point out some of the things that we are doing to tackle the problem of corruption arising out of the legislation that we have passed.
Kevan Jones (North Durham, Labour)
Will my right hon. Friend give way?
Hilary Benn (Secretary of State, Department for International Development)
For the last time, as I know that many hon. Members want to speak.
Kevan Jones (North Durham, Labour)I am grateful to my right hon. Friend. Does he agree that there is confusion about the Government’s role, and some hon.
Members think that the Government were involved in the negotiation of the deal between the Tanzanian Government and BAE Systems?
The role of the Government was to grant the export licence.
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