The UK government is being forced to make a statement to Parliament about the apparent confusion in its arms exports policy.

Trade Minister Lord Sainsbury is due to make the statement to the House of Lords at about 1500 BST on Tuesday after a request from a Liberal Democrat peer.

UK arms sales in 2000

UK export licences to India worth �64.5m Exports included military aircraft engines Components for air-to-surface missiles Components for combat helicopter Riot control equipment UK export licences to Pakistan worth �6m Components for combat helicopters Components for navy vessels Components for military utility vehicle Loan of military training aircraft

The news comes after the Ministry of Defence confirmed it was to hold discussions about selling a second type of British military aircraft to India.

Those talks are being held despite reports that Trade Secretary Patricia Hewitt signed an order last Thursday suspending arms exports to the two countries.

Delhi already has a �1bn order with British Aerospace for Hawk trainer jets.

BBC News has now learned that the MoD will be following up a request from India about the possible sale of Sea Harriers.

Pakistan talks

The Sea Harriers are fully fledged combat aircraft, unlike the trainer jets.

The aircraft are due to be retired from the Royal Navy in 2004-2006 and India has shown an interest in buying them.

Straw says the arms policy remains the same

An MoD spokesman said talks with officials in Delhi had not yet taken place, but confirmed the department would be following up India's interest.

On Monday, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw stressed there had been no change in policy over arms sales to India and Pakistan, despite the escalating tensions.

Mr Straw arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday where he held talks with Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf before flying on to Delhi.

Arms embargo denied

The foreign secretary denied there had been a change in policy.

He said: "There are no plans for an embargo. There is not any confusion. There are a set of national and EU criteria in arms sales to which we are signatories.

"They take account of a wide variety of possible circumstances, for example military build-up.

"Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis."

Newspaper reports that Ms Hewitt had suspended arms exports to the two countries have been strenuously denied by Downing Street.

The reports suggested such a move could jeopardise negotiations between BAE Systems and India over the sale of 66 Hawk training aircraft.

However, Tony Blair's official spokesman said: "There is no arms embargo, no suspension of arms, no contract to rule on."

'Honest broker?'

Labour's Roger Berry, chairman of the Commons arms export select committee, argued that the UK should suspend its arms exports to the two nations.

"I think the UK has got to make it clear that we seek to be one of the honest brokers in this and not an arms broker," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"The government's own criteria in relation to arms exports are very clear.

Tensions between India and Pakistan remain high

"One is that no licence will be granted for arms exports if there is a clearly identifiable risk that the weapons could be used aggressively against another country or to assert, by force, a territorial claim.

"This seems to me as clear a case as one can get for saying that the government's own criteria on not promoting regional instability suggests that there should be no arms exports.

"We shouldn't apply the morality of the drug dealer that basically says if you don't sell it, somebody else will."

Mr Berry said it was "a bit odd" that the MoD appeared to be "assisting, promoting" the sale of weapons when the government's policy had not changed.

Former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook had said arms export licences should not be granted in the current circumstances.

Confused policy?

Andy Maclean, spokesman for the pressure group Safer World, said it was vital that an arms embargo was put in place.

Hawk jets could be used to train pilots to fly Jaguar jets which, he understood, were being adapted in India to make them capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

Shadow foreign secretary Michael Ancram expressed concern at the government's apparent confusion over its arms export policy.

"With the present situation between Pakistan and India being so tense, it must be wise for exports to be temporarily suspended," he said.

"While we sympathise with those whose jobs might be affected, it is vital that both India and Pakistan are fully aware of the extent of international concern about the present crisis."