§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the British Government's policy on the issuing of transhipment licences relating to trade between two other countries for products supplied by British companies. [36485]
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§ Mr. Oppenheim[holding answer 10 July 1996]: A transhipment licence is used where controlled products enter the United Kingdom solely for transit to another country. Individual transhipment licences are no longer required for many such goods except to the most sensitive destinations and for certain military, security and paramilitary police equipment. Most transhipments, for both industrial and other military goods, are allowed under the terms of the open general transhipment licence.
Where applications for individual transhipment licences are required, they are considered against the same strict criteria as applications for other export licences.
In accordance with arrangements introduced on 10 November 1994, goods that remain on board a plane or ship or those on "through airway bills" or "through bills of lading" are not controlled provided that they leave the UK within 30 days of arrival, that the final destination has been decided before the goods left the country of original export and are not re-directed on their way through the UK. Additionally, the goods must have been exported in accordance with the original country's export laws.