Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) criteria and (b) conditions his Department has placed on the loan of weaponry from the armed forces to other countries in the last year.

All loans of defence equipment, including weaponry, are made on the basis of a number of criteria related to our defence priorities including to assist exports, military operations and equipment cooperation for defined purposes. A key condition is ensuring it has no impact on our own operational capability and limiting our liability for damages to equipment and personnel. Such equipment may be loaned on the basis of charging but also on a no-cost basis in support of wider bilateral relations or as part of a reciprocal arrangement. All loans would also consider UK export regulations, as well as other countries' export conditions if the equipment originates, or contains components, from other countries.