MEMORANDUM OF EVIDENCE.
168
The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs is concerned with
the issue of licences for the export of arms in two ways.
(1) He receives a notification from the Board of Trade that a
licence has been applied for, and gives or withholds his assent to
the issue of the licence;
(2) In exceptional circumstances he may inform the Board of
Trade (or the Service Departments with a view to preventing appli-
cations being made) that the export of arms to a particular country
or region is undesirable.
Each application for the issue of a licence received from the
Board of Trade is considered on its merits, and in giving or with-
holding his assent consideration is given by the Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs to the following circumstances:-
1. The nature of the consignment
-
war material or arms
designed for other purposes (e.g. sport);
2.
The consignee. The general practice of His Majesty's
Government is to export war material only to governments or to
the accredited agents of governments for delivery to them. In
the case of samples for demonstration or exhibition, or acces-
sories, reputable firms may be accepted as consignees;
3
Conditions obtaining in the country to which the
arms are to be exported. It may, for example, be desirable to
refuse or suspend licences in times of civil disturbance;
4. The international situation. It may, for example, be
desirable to refuse applications for licences to export arms to
countries whose relations with other countries are strained.
Treaty provisions. The export of arms to certain
countries, for example Abyssinia, is regulated by treaty, The
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs satisfies himself that
5.
the...