§ Mr. NichollsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about exports of armoured vehicles to Indonesia.
§ Mr. HeseltineI have today authorised the issue of a licence to Alvis to export armoured vehicles to Indonesia. In reaching this decision, I have taken advice from the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Secretary of State for Defence. The decision has been made in the light of the established and internationally agreed criteria for military exports. It has included a thorough assessment of the likelihood of these vehicles being used for internal repression in Indonesia or East Timor. This assessment has concluded that it is not likely that these vehicles would be so used. The Indonesian Government have given assurances that the vehicles will not be deployed in East Timor or used in any form of repression of civilians anywhere in Indonesia.