The arms trade isn't working

Between 1989 and 1995 half of those who worked in the arms export industry lost their jobs. That is around 1,000 jobs a month - every month.

Despite this the Government subsidises the arms export industry to the tune of Pfund 1 billion per year - Pfund 12,500 every year for every job.

• The environmental clean up and technology market will be worth Pfund 400 billion a year in 2005. The arms export market is currently worth Pfund 15 billion and failing. Yet the Government spends less than Pfund 36 million annually on research and development support for environmental industries and over Pfund 650 million assisting military exports.
• The UK currently has a 1% share and 46,000 jobs in the world civil shipbuilding market. By redirecting some of the skills and resources used in the arms export industry, the UK could at least double its share of this growing world market and create tens of thousands of long term jobs.

What is needed is a Government-led national economic conversion strategy. The skills and resources currently tied up in military companies should be shifted to support exports in the growing environmental market, and key national industries such as civil aerospace and civil shipbuilding. This strategywould create tens of thousands of skilled jobs in important civil markets.