asked the Minister of State for Defence what steps he takes to ensure that arms supplied to Portugal by the United Kingdom in respect of her needs as a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ally on condition that they are not used in overseas Portuguese territories are not in fact so used.

The supply of arms to Portugal, as to other countries, is subject to Government approval of export licence applications. A licence would not be granted for equipment which we had reason to suppose was not going to be used to meet Portugal's N.A.T.O. requirements.