To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with which UK private security companies representatives of the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation have met in each of the last five years; and in which countries these meetings took place. (316724)

I have been asked to reply.

UK Trade and Investment, Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO) was formed on 1 April 2008, when responsibility for defence export promotion was transferred from the Ministry of Defence.

There is no accepted definition of private security or private military companies, and no clear line between the two categories. Since forming, UKTI DSO has had meetings with a number of companies who are members of either the British Association of Private Security Companies or the Private Security Company Association of Iraq, including: Armour Group, Control Risks Group, Edinburgh Risk, Janusian Security Risk Management, Aegis Defence Services Ltd, Group 4 Security Risk Management, Maritime Asset and Security Training, Olive Group, Britam Defence Ltd, Team Savant Ltd, Salamanca Risk Management, Pilgrims Group Ltd, Peters and May Global Logistics and Prometheus Medical.

These meetings have taken place in Algeria, Kuwait, Libya, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, USA and in the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria are used by the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation to decide whether to assist UK private military and security companies to obtain business abroad. (316725)

I have been asked to reply.

Companies operating in the private military and security sector are entitled to the same support as other UK companies, in so far as their activities are legitimate and do not conflict with HMG’s foreign policy goals. Eligibility for UKTI support is defined by the overall eligibility guidelines for UKTI trade services. Companies are not eligible for UKTI support if they are offering a product or service which it is illegal to produce or sell in the UK or in the target market, or which will breach export controls, or if the company’s business record or business practices or products are likely to cause offence in the overseas market and/or embarrass the UK Government (for example, on corporate social responsibility grounds).

A copy of the Government ‘Guidance on Contacts with Private Military and Security Companies’ is in the Libraries of the House and in The National Archives, and is accessible using the following URL:

http://collections.europarchive.org/tna/20080205132101/www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front%3Fpagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1171453877033