Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that sensitive military technologies in use by the armed forces cannot be purchased on the open market from UK-based auctioneers; and whether he plans to undertake a review to prevent such situations occurring again.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes the safety and security of military equipment extremely seriously. Contractors who process, store and dispose of such equipment are subject to a strict ongoing security assurance programme, which includes regular reviews and assessments against Government policy. The MOD will not hesitate to take appropriate action in order to protect Armed Forces capability, including retrieving equipment where there is a suspected breach.