To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will n-rake a statement on an international United Nations arms sales register.

Our initiative for a UN register has received wide support. The European Council on 28–29 June decided that the Twelve should put forward a joint resolution to the next UN General Assembly proposing a register. Leaders at the London economic summit affirmed their commitment to the early adoption of such a register. At their meeting in Paris on 8 and 9 July the five permanent members of the Security Council also endorsed this approach. We are pleased that the recent report of the UN expert study group on transparency has recommended the prompt establishment of a register.