Letter: Arms catalogue

Thursday 30 April 1998 23:02 BST

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Arms catalogue

IN HER piece on the Oxfam report about arms sales (23 April) Fran Abrams refers to a catalogue from the Defence Export Services Organisation which lists eight UK companies involved in the manufacture and supply of small arms and ammunition, and compares this with a list of 120 companies identified by Oxfam.

I should clarify that this apparent disparity is because the catalogue in question, a commercial publication produced in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence, is designed to publicise British companies and products. It is not intended as a comprehensive list. It is entirely up to companies themselves as to whether they wish to be included.

OONA MUIRHEAD

Director of Information Strategy and News

Ministry of Defence

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