To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what steps he has taken to establish a national register of arms brokers; [81100](2) what estimate his Department has made of the number of arms brokers operating in the United Kingdom. [81099]

[holding answer 16 April 1999]: The Government considered the establishment of a register of arms dealers whilst developing proposals contained in the White Paper on Strategic Export Controls, but felt that it would be better to focus on the need to control specific trafficking and brokering activities. However, this issue was raised in response to the White Paper and, as my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche) told my hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton, South-West (Ms Jones) on 14 December 1998, Official Report, column 364, we are reviewing all the proposals contained in the White Paper in the light of the responses received.The Department of Trade and Industry has made no estimate of the number of arms brokers operating in the United Kingdom.