DSEi Update: PUBLIC TO FOOT £1m+ POLICING BILL
jeremia | 22.08.2003 15:13 | DSEi 2003
Campaigners against September’s London arms bazaar today condemned news that British tax payers will have to pay for more than £1m for policing to protect arms dealers shopping for weapons at London docklands.
22nd August 2003
PUBLIC TO FOOT £1m+ POLICING BILL
AT LONDON ARMS BAZAAR
Martin Hogbin, campaigns co-ordinator at Campaign Against Arms Trade said:
“Once again the British public, rather than weapons companies, have to pick-up the bill for this terrible trade in death.”
“The government already subsidised the arms business to the tune of more than £760 million a year, so that British weapons firms can flog horrific weapons to human rights abusers, regions of serious conflict and countries in terrible poverty."(1)
“Now we learn that protecting the London arms fair, to which the Government is already contributing nearly half-a-million pounds of tax payers money, will also be paid for by us.”(2)
“It seems that cancelling DSEi 2003 would not only be the most ethical thing to do, but would also be the cheapest.”
The police have confirmed they are to station 1,600 uniformed officers at the London arms fair on every day of the exhibition.
Notes:
(1) Research by CAAT revealed a total net subsidy for military exports of £763m per year, including cost of marketing and promotion, the Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO), defence export credits, research and development and official visits. Arms Trade Economics, CAAT Feb 2002.
(2) House of Commons Hansard, 20 May 2003: Column 678W: “The direct cost to the Ministry of Defence identified centrally is estimated at some £400,000. In addition, representatives of Her Majesty’s Government may carry out activities associated with the exhibition, as part of their normal duties, which could be identified only as disproportionate cost.”
PUBLIC TO FOOT £1m+ POLICING BILL
AT LONDON ARMS BAZAAR
Martin Hogbin, campaigns co-ordinator at Campaign Against Arms Trade said:
“Once again the British public, rather than weapons companies, have to pick-up the bill for this terrible trade in death.”
“The government already subsidised the arms business to the tune of more than £760 million a year, so that British weapons firms can flog horrific weapons to human rights abusers, regions of serious conflict and countries in terrible poverty."(1)
“Now we learn that protecting the London arms fair, to which the Government is already contributing nearly half-a-million pounds of tax payers money, will also be paid for by us.”(2)
“It seems that cancelling DSEi 2003 would not only be the most ethical thing to do, but would also be the cheapest.”
The police have confirmed they are to station 1,600 uniformed officers at the London arms fair on every day of the exhibition.
Notes:
(1) Research by CAAT revealed a total net subsidy for military exports of £763m per year, including cost of marketing and promotion, the Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO), defence export credits, research and development and official visits. Arms Trade Economics, CAAT Feb 2002.
(2) House of Commons Hansard, 20 May 2003: Column 678W: “The direct cost to the Ministry of Defence identified centrally is estimated at some £400,000. In addition, representatives of Her Majesty’s Government may carry out activities associated with the exhibition, as part of their normal duties, which could be identified only as disproportionate cost.”
jeremia
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