Transparency in the arms trade is crucial both for international peace and diplomacy, and for domestic scrutiny of a business that can have devastating consequences for people against whom the arms are used. Yet, such transparency is typically weak, even in countries with relatively strong democratic and institutional norms, and that proclaim transparency as a virtue. The UK is no exception, and despite the publication of a significant volume of official information on arms exports, this information contains severe gaps and failings that mean that the true picture of the UK arms trade is obscured as much as it is revealed.
This report discusses the main sources of official information on UK arms exports, including export licence data, contract data from UK Defence Export Statistics, periodic reporting on military aid to Ukraine since the Russian invasion, and other sources. It discusses what information they provide, and what is missing. Most crucially, export licence data lacks transparency due to the lack of data on actual arms deliveries, and the extensive use of unlimited open licences. These often cover a very wide range of equipment and destinations, but give no idea of the extent to which they are actually used.
The report presents a number of recommendations for improving the transparency of UK arms export data.
