Minister defends UK arms exports

International trade secretary Liam Fox has defended Britain’s arms export industry, warning that if countries were unable to acquire the weapons they needed legally there would be an eruption of unregulated sales.

Speaking at the opening day of the world’s biggest arms fair in London, Dr Fox said the UK had one of the most sophisticated export licensing regimes in the world, designed to ensure that British-made weaponry was not used to endanger international security.

At the same time, he stressed overseas governments had an “inalienable right” to defend themselves and that if they could not buy equipment from developed countries with effective controls they would look elsewhere.

In his opening address Dr Fox acknowledged there were “inherent risks” involved in the arms export industry, but said the government was committed to ensuring that sales from the UK were lawful.

“The UK hosts one of the most highly-sophisticated, structured and multi-faceted export licensing regimes in the world. At the same time they are not designed to hinder trade or prohibit exports,” he said.