asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied that the proposed arms sales agreements with Saudi Arabia will not disturb the military balance in the Middle East; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied that the proposed armament sales agreement with Saudi Arabia will not disturb the military balance in the Middle East; and what guarantees he has obtained from them that the equipment will not be transferred to other Arab countries.

All proposals for the sale of defence equipment to Saudi Arabia are considered in the light of our declared policy on arms sales to the Middle East. We are willing, in the light of our judgment of the long-term policies of the State in question, to consider requests for items, whose supply would not in our view endanger the achievement of a just and lasting resolution to the dispute between the Arab Governments and Israel. As with all arms exports, we would have to be satisfied as to the end-use of the equipment before an export licence could be issued.