Madam Deputy Speaker, the reply to the question is as follows: With respect to Part 1, over the period of April 2008 to March 2009 the committee did consider and authorise arms sales transactions to a number of countries.
Since its assumption of duty on 21 July 2009, the current committee has considered and approved the 2008 National Conventional Arms Control Co- ordinating Committee annual report. This annual report was prepared in compliance with the provisions of section 23 of the National Conventional Arms Control Act of 2002. To that end this annual report covers the 2008 calendar year, as prescribed by section 23 of the Act.
The committee is in the process of tabling the 2008 annual report to Parliament. The countries and arms categories that are involved in these transactions are reflected in that annual report. In view of this, the House and hon members are requested to allow the tabling of the 2008 annual report to take place. Once this is done, the committee will be available to Parliament to discuss the contents of the annual report.
We answer in that fashion, Madam Deputy Speaker, because the list of transactions is extremely long and is in the annual report in full. Members of the portfolio committee have invited the chairperson of the control committee to appear before the portfolio committee on 2 September. The meeting is already on the committee timetable of meetings. Therefore the committee will have the opportunity to peruse and consider the full details of that report.
With respect to Part 2 of the question, as far as the newly constituted National Conventional Arms Control Committee is concerned, all meetings held thus far have been based on prescribed quorum requirements. With respect to the 2008 calendar year, the report that will be tabled in Parliament reflects business conducted in terms of the said Act.