Committees on Arms Export Controls (CAEC) selects Mark Garnier as chair

• Committees on Arms Export Controls

Chair's comments

Mark Garnier said:

"I am delighted to have been selected as the chair of the Committees on Arms Export Controls. There have been a number of important developments since CAEC last met in the previous Parliament, including a continuing Court case of arms exports to Saudi Arabia, the merger of two of the four Government departments which together consider export licences, and Brexit – important for all sorts of reasons at the moment but also from an arms control perspective given the current link between EU and UK licence assessment rules. We have much work to do to address all of these important matters in our next meetings, and to make that scrutiny effective we will invite members from the International Development Committee to take part."

Reflecting the Government's decision to merge the Department for International Development into the Foreign Office, the first CAEC meeting comprised members of the three committees – Defence, Foreign Affairs and International Trade – that would continue long-term to scrutinise the Government departments involved in arms export control. Nevertheless, CAEC agreed to invite members of the International Development Committee to take part in its public sessions for as long as the IDC continues, to ensure that the international development components of the arms export control system is fully reflected in CAEC's work. CAEC decided to hold a number of initial public sessions to examine developments and issues across the arms export control agenda. 

Further information

• About Parliament: Select committees
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