75
18.
From the foregoing it will be seen that His Majesty's
Government have so far as concerns the licensing of arms,
munitions and implements of war, amended their regulations as
necessary from time to time so as to be in a position to give
effect to the international arrangements which have been either
in prospect or actually put into operation.
Control of Exports of war material in the
United Kingdom.
Board of Trade Powers and Action.
19. The Board of Trade is responsible for the issue of
Export Licences in connection with the control of arms.
20. The Board of Trade powers to regulate the export of
arms from the United Kingdom are derived from section 8 of the
Customs and Inland Revenue Act, 1879, as amended and extended
by Section 1 of the Exportation of Arms Act, 1900, and Section
17 of the Finance Act 1921. Under these enactments, power is
given to prohibit by Proclamation or Order-in-Council the
export or coastwise shipment of weapons and munitions of
war of every description, as well as firearms not being weapon.
of war and ammunition for such firearms. (See Annex A).
21. The present arms export licensing system has been in
force without substantial alteration since 1921, but is now
based on the Arms Export Prohibition Order-in-Council of 193)
which specifies 20 classes of material the export of which
from the United Kingdom is prohibited except under licence.
(see Annex B). Open general licences, (Annexes C and D)
insued about the same time as the Order-in-Council permit the
unrestricted export (except to certain destinations in Asia
and Africa) of specified materials in those classes, such as
shot guns and their ammunition and industrial explosives
which are not in fact war material. The general effec
is that the export of war material and rifled weapons Jt
every description is subject to the issue of a specific licere
by the Board of Trade, whatever may be the destination.
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