ANDREW STUNELL MP APPOINTED TO ARMS EXPORT COMMITTEE

5.28.00pm GMT Mon 26th Oct 2009

Hazel Grove MP Andrew Stunell has been appointed this week to sit on the Committee on Arms Export Controls (CAEC) in the House of Commons.

CAEC is comprised of members of four House of Commons Select Committees (Business, Foreign Affairs, International Development and Defence) and scrutinises the sale of Arms by the UK government.

Their most recent report, in August, highlighted concerns that UK military equipment and weapons exported to Sri Lanka during the ceasefire may have been used against the civilian population when hostilities escalated between the government and the Tamil Tigers in 2006.

Mr Stunell had been attending the committee as an informal observer on behalf of the International Development Committee, but has now been appointed as a core member.

Commenting, Andrew Stunell said:

"The UK has a responsibility to ensure that its arms export industry, and individual UK citizens working overseas are not engaging in the illegal arms trade, and I am looking forward to the opportunity of holding both the Government and the arms industry to account.

"It is an issue that rightly worries many people, and I'm looking forward to taking on this new role, and playing some part in ensuring that British weapons are sold ethically, and do not fall into the hands of those who will misuse them."

ENDS