§ 43 and 44. Mr. R. Harrisasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will give an assurance that he has cancelled all licences for the export of war equipment and any other vehicles or machinery or spare parts, either directly or indirectly, to Egypt;
(2) if Licence No. 17B/6431/55, issued in 1955 for the export to Egypt of Sherman tank spare parts to the value of over £300,000, is now to be withdrawn.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftAll valid export licences for the export to Egypt of arms and munitions, including armoured vehicles and parts and aircraft and aircraft engines, have been revoked. No 1590 further licences are being issued for supply of these goods to Egypt.
§ Mr. HarrisIn view of the fact that these licences very often come to life again in a rather unobtrusive manner at a later stage when things have subsided, is it possible for the Government to make some sort of announcement, either through the Press or in this House, when the licences are revived?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThese have been effectively revoked.
§ Mr. PagetWill the Minister take note that this is something which we have been asking him to do for months and that a great deal of harm has already been done?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI am not aware of any request for the revoking of these licences.
§ Mr. RobensWill the right hon. Gentleman tell us what is going to happen to the large pieces of armament, namely, the two destroyers in British waters?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftIn the Board of Trade I do not issue any export licences for destroyers.
§ Mr. ShinwellDoes the right hon. Gentleman seriously say that he was not aware of Questions being directed to many of his colleagues on this subject of the export of arms to Egypt, including spare parts? Does not he take note of what is happening in the House? Is he so isolated from events?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI merely said that on the export licences with which I have been concerned, I have not received a request from the right hon. Gentleman.