Download or read book Scrutiny of arms export controls 2013 written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committees on Arm Export Controls and published by Stationery Office. This book was released on 2013-07-17 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 2013 Report of the Committees on Arms Export Controls (CAEC) scrutinizes the Government's arms exports and arms control policies and practices in unprecedented depth and detail.The scrutiny encompasses the Government's quarterly information on arms export licences, arms export control legislation and procedures, organisational and operational issues, Arms Export Agreements, Arms Control Agreements, arms export control policies, and arms exports to Countries of concern. There are over 3,000 Government approved export licences, worth more than £12 billion, for strategic controlled goods going to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's 27 countries of human rights concern. Five other countries not on the FCO's list are also covered, including Argentina, which is of concern because of its policy towards the Falkland Islands. The Committees adhere to their previous recommendation that the Government should apply significantly more cautious judgements when considering arms export licence applications for goods to authoritarian regimes "which might be used to facilitate internal repression" in contravention of the Government's stated policy.

Download or read book Weapons Under Scrutiny written by Ogni︠a︡n Shentov and published by CSD. This book was released on 2004 with total page 110 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Scrutiny of Arms Export Controls 2014 written by Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Committees on Arm Export Controls and published by . This book was released on 2014-07-23 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Memorandum from the Chair of the Committees is contained in Volume 2, and Oral and additional Written Evidence is contained in Volume 3, available on the Committees' website at www.parliament.uk/caeccomm. The UK strategic export controls annual report 2012 published as HC 561, session 2013-14 (ISBN 9780102983548)

Download or read book Scrutiny of arms export controls 2012 written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2012-07-13 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The joint committee is known as the Committees on Arms Export Controls, formerly the Quadripartite Committee. The UK strategic export controls annual report 2010 was published as HC 1402, session 2010-12 (ISBN 9780102973662)

Download or read book Scrutiny of arms export controls 2010 written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2010-03-30 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The joint committee is known as the Committees on Arms Export Controls, formerly the Quadripartite Committee. The UK strategic export controls annual report 2008 was published as Cm. 7662 (ISBN 9780101766227)

Download or read book Scrutiny of Arms Exports and Arms Controls 2015 written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committees on Arm Export Controls and published by . This book was released on 2015-03-20 with total page 58 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 2013 Report of the Committees on Arms Export Controls (CAEC) scrutinizes the Government's arms exports and arms control policies and practices in unprecedented depth and detail.The scrutiny encompasses the Government's quarterly information on arms export licences, arms export control legislation and procedures, organisational and operational issues, Arms Export Agreements, Arms Control Agreements, arms export control policies, and arms exports to Countries of concern. There are over 3,000 Government approved export licences, worth more than GBP12 billion, for strategic controlled goods going to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's 27 countries of human rights concern. Five other countries not on the FCO's list are also covered, including Argentina, which is of concern because of its policy towards the Falkland Islands. The Committees adhere to their previous recommendation that the Government should apply significantly more cautious judgements when considering arms export licence applications for goods to authoritarian regimes which might be used to facilitate internal repression in contravention of the Government's stated policy.

Download or read book Scrutiny of arms export controls 2011 written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2011-04-05 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the first joint report on arms export controls since the present Government took office in May 2010. As in previous years, the report reviews the Government's policy on arms exports, its administration and enforcement, and the adequacy or otherwise of current legislation. This year the Committees have paid particular attention to the Government's policy of intensifying the promotion of arms exports. The policy has come under scrutiny following the uprisings and demonstrations in recent weeks in North Africa and the wider Middle East and the armed response made to them. Since January 2011 the Government has been vigorously backpedalling on a number of arms export licence approvals to authoritarian regimes across the region. The MPs conclude that both the present Government and its predecessor misjudged the risk that arms approved for export to certain authoritarian countries in North Africa and the Middle East might be used for internal repression. The Committees welcome the revocation of a number of arms export licences to Bahrain, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, and recommend that the Government extends immediately its review of UK arms export licences for countries in North Africa and the wider Middle East to authoritarian regimes worldwide. The Government should also set out how it intends to reconcile the potential conflict of interest between increased emphasis on promoting arms exports with the staunch upholding of human rights.

Download or read book The Missing Link in Labour s Foreign Policy written by David Mepham and published by Institute for Public Policy Research. This book was released on 2002-11 with total page 78 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Second Joint Report of the Business Innovation and Skills Defence Foreign Affairs and International Development Committees of Session 2014 15 written by Great Britain: Department for Innovation, Business and Skills and published by . This book was released on 2015-09-17 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dated 31 July 2015. Government response to the Committee's 2nd joint report, HCP 608, session 2014-15 (ISBN 9780215084170). A TSO version of a title previously published by HM Government.

Download or read book Second Joint Report of the Business Innovation and Skills Defence Foreign Affairs and International Development Committees of Session 2014 15 written by Great Britain: Department for Innovation, Business and Skills and published by . This book was released on 2015-07-31 with total page 71 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dated 31 July 2015. Print and web pdfs available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications Web ISBN=9781474121965. Government response to the Committee's 2nd joint report, HCP 608, session 2014-15 (ISBN 9780215084170)

Download or read book Strategic Export Controls written by Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Defence Committee and published by . This book was released on 2004-05-18 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report by the Quadripartite Committee (the Defence, Foreign Affairs, International Development and Trade & Industry Select Committees) examines the Government's licensing decisions on strategic exports taken during 2002 and 2003. This includes military equipment, such as guns, tanks and missiles, other non-lethal military and police equipment such as anti-riot shields, de-mining devices and chemical weapon detection systems; as well as civilian goods and technology which has a potential military application (dual-use) such as chemical products, cryptographic software and space satellites. Issues discussed include the transparency of Government information provision; monitoring of end-use assurances; the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports and EU enlargement; international arrangements for export controls; the complexity of the British export control system compared to other European countries; enforcement and prosecution of export control breaches by HM Customs & Excise. The Committee's report finds that export controls are a crucial part of efforts to limit the proliferation of weapons and military technology, from small arms to biological agents, but in order to be effective these need to be applied internationally. More information should be published about the end use of equipment and technology exported, for example to Indonesia, to ensure adequate scrutiny and accountability in the granting of export licenses.

Download or read book Strategic Export Controls written by Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Defence Committee and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Committee on Strategic Export Controls (known as the Quadripartite Committee) is made up of members of the Defence, Foreign Affairs, International Development and Trade and Industry Committees. It began regular scrutiny of the Government's policy on the export control system in 1999, and this report includes a detailed examination of the operation and enforcement of strategic export controls run by the Export Control Organisation and HM Revenue & Customs. It also considers issues raised by particular licences, including whether the policy on licence approvals or refusals is consistent and determined in accordance with the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports and the National Export Licensing Criteria. The Committee held five evidence sessions in the course of its inquiry, including evidence from officials from the DTI and FCO, HMRC and the Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office, members of the Export Group on Aerospace and Defence (EGAD) and the UK Working Group on Arms, as well as from Mark Thomas, broadcaster and journalist. Amongst the Committee's 83 conclusions and recommendations, the report raises concerns about the loopholes in regulations relating to internet arms sales and to arms fairs, as well as 'dual-use' equipment (that could have both a civilian and a military purpose). It also calls for greater clarity in the policy on arms sales to Saudi Arabia and Israel, given human rights concerns; and it argues that the arms embargo on China should remain and that the Government should work with the EU and the United States to ensure the embargo remains effective. The report also raises concerns about the reporting and status of strategic export controls to and from the Channel Islands, given that they are not subject to the Export Control Act 2002; and recommends that the Export Control Organisation should remain within the public sector under government control. The report notes that the Government's review of arms control rules scheduled for 2007 provides a timely opportunity to take stock of developments in the UK's export control system since the Scott Inquiry into exports to Iraq in 1996, and in light of the challenge of increased globalisation of the defence industry, and that it will also be a critical year for progress on the International Arms Trade Treaty.

Download or read book HC 804 Transatlantic Trade And Investment Partnership written by Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Business, Innovation and Skills Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2015-03-25 with total page 33 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership is an ambitious attempt by the European Union and the United States to deliver a comprehensive trade and investment treaty. Negotiations between the two are currently underway and the Government hopes that an agreement can be reached by the end of 2015. The trade deal may be beneficial to the UK and EU economies but TTIP is not universally supported and the level of financial benefit to the UK is open to question. The lack of detail available on the negotiations means that it is difficult to assess which is the more accurate argument. However, this should not excuse the quality of debate which we have, on occasion, observed by campaigners and lobbyists on both sides of the argument. Everyone involved in the debate on TTIP - campaigners,lobbyists, the UK Government and the European Commission - must ensure that an evidence-based approach is at the heart of any TTIP debate. One of the key concerns about TTIP is the proposal to include Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions. These provisions - common in bilateral trade agreements - aim to protect foreign investors from illegal interference by the host government. However, campaigners have argued that such clauses could allow US healthcare investors to force the permanent privatisation of the NHS. Although this view has been rebutted repeatedly by the European Commission and the UK Government, until draft clauses are published, it will be difficult for them to convince those with concerns.

Download or read book House of Commons Business Innovation and Skills Committee Open Access HC 99 I written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2013-09-10 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Government's commitment to increasing access to published research findings and its desire to achieve full open access are welcomed in this report from the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee. However, whilst Gold open access - where authors publish their articles in an open access journal that provides free immediate open access to all of its articles on the publisher's website - is a desirable ultimate goal, focusing on it during the transition to a fully open access world is a mistake. The Government and Research Council UK should reconsider their preference for Gold open access during the five year transition period, and give due regard to the evidence of the vital role that Green open access and repositories have to play as the UK moves towards full open access. (Authors opting for Green open access publish in any subscription journal, and then make their peer-reviewed final draft freely accessible online by self-archiving or depositing the article in a repository (either institutional or disciplinary) upon acceptance for publication.) Other recommendations include: promotion of standardisation and compliance across subject and institutional repositories; mitigation against the impact on universities of paying Article Processing Charges out of their own reserves; introduce a reduced VAT rate for e-journals; non-disclosure clauses should not be used in publishing contracts that include the use of public funds; BIS must review its consultation processes to ensure that lessons are learned from the lack of involvement of businesses, particularly SMEs, in the formation of open access policy

Download or read book House of Commons Business Innovation and Skills Committee Draft Consumer Rights Bill HC 697 I written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2013-12-23 with total page 102 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Government's draft Consumer Rights Bill has the potential to consolidate, simplify and modernise consumer law however issues and inconsistencies must be resolved. The current proposals would apply a statutory right that services under a contract must be provided with reasonable care and skill [a fault-based standard]. This does not provide sufficient consumer protection. The Draft Bill should require that services must achieve the stated result, or one which could be reasonably expected [an outcomes-based standard]. As the Bank of Ireland case demonstrated, the right to terminate a contract does not necessarily protect consumers from detriment. This report recommends an addition to the grey list - the indicative list of contract terms which may be regarded as unfair. The Government's proposals for enhanced consumer measures, which would require traders that have breached consumer law to compensate consumers, are welcome. However, private enforcers should also be able to use them. The collective proceedings regime has the potential to improve access to redress for victims of competition law breaches but the Government must clarify the certification requirements for such proceedings. The creation of rights and remedies for digital content is welcome, but the Government must do more to communicate how the proposals will work in practice. Under the draft Bill, the remedies available to consumers of digital content would depend on whether the content is intangible (such as a music download) or tangible (such as a CD). In appropriate circumstances, consumers should have the right to reject and obtain a refund irrespective of whether they purchase intangible or tangible digital content

Download or read book HC 523 The Independent Commission for Aid Impact s Performance and Annual Report 2013 14 written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: International Development Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2014-09-05 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Independent Commission on Aid Impact (ICAI) is an independent commission which reports to the House of Commons International Development Committee, not to the Department for International Development (DFID). The Committee ensures its accountability to Parliament in two main ways: through a sub-Committee, which takes evidence on the reports published by ICAI; and through an inquiry each year carried out by the full Committee into ICAI's Annual Report. 2013-14 has been a busy year for ICAI, with 12 reports published on a wide range of DFID's activities. ICAI's Annual Report contained three headline findings for DFID this year. Firstly, tighter management of multilateral partners is needed. Secondly, DFID needs to continue to improve its aid programme management capacity, especially where contractors are implementing programmes. Thirdly, DFID's corporate results agenda - and in particular its use of 'reach indicators' - is distorting programming choices. The Committee shares ICAI's concerns on these issues and intend to follow up its recommendations in two forthcoming inquiries this autumn: Beyond Aid; and DFID's Departmental Annual Report 2013-14. DFID spends a large amount of money - at least £200 million - on self-evaluation. However, it cannot provide an exact total. The Committee question this large expenditure, especially given that an ICAI evaluation recently found that DFID staff struggle to use self-evaluation material in their work. The contracts of the current ICAI commissioners, contractor consortium and staff all end in May 2015. While staff contracts may be renewed, new commissioners and contractors must be recruited. Planning is underway for the transition to the next phase of ICAI: all possible efforts must be made to ensure this goes as smoothly as possible.

Download or read book HC 504 The Implications of Scottish Independence on Business Higher Education and Research and Postal Services written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2014-08-08 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A 'Yes' vote for independence will break up the UK single market and in the short-term could leave Scottish businesses uncertain of their position in Europe, says the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee in this report. A protracted Scottish negotiation over EU membership, and the uncertain investment environment arising from a 'Yes' vote, will have a damaging impact on businesses in Scotland, as well as other parts of the UK. The Committee raises serious concerns that a 'Yes' vote may also leave Scotland facing a currency 'limbo' and in the short term unable to join a sterling currency union and without the prospect of adopting the Euro. Also, the Scottish Government's stated intention to renationalise the Royal Mail upon achieving independence is an un-costed aspiration, bereft of any detail of how it is to be paid for or how it would be done. The Committee also fears for the future of the Universal Postal Obligation in an independent Scotland with its continued survival likely to be secured only at significant additional cost. On higher education, the Committee explored the topics of student fees and UK research collaboration. The central plank of the Scottish Government's HE policy, to charge tuition fees to students from other parts of the UK, was likely to be illegal under EU law. The Committee also expressed concerns this policy would result in Scottish universities facing a financial shortfall, given the significant income currently received for non-domiciled UK students.