HC Deb 24 November 1997 vol 301 cc416-7W
Mr. Redwood

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the average period for a company seeking an export licence from the Department of Trade and Industry, from its first contacts with the Department of Trade and Industry to seek information on how to apply, to the granting of the licence. [16143]

Mrs. Beckett

[holding answer 14 November 1997]: The Export Control Organisation (ECO) of my department has a Helpline and other advisory facilities for exporters seeking to obtain export licences. Since individual circumstances are so varied, it is not possible to keep records relating the first date of inquiry to the received date of a formal application for an export licence (if indeed such an application is made). Inquiries are dealt with promptly—usually the same day.

In some 'pre-licence' inquiries, exporters request advice on the licensable status (or 'rating') of goods that may be exported. Targets for dealing with such applications, provided full information is received with the inquiry, are:

  • 10 working days where circulation to other Government Departments is not required.
  • 20 working days where circulation to other Government Departments is required.

For the last four week period for which statistics have been compiled (22 September to 17 October 1997) those targets have been met in 96 per cent, of non-circulated cases and 80 per cent, of circulated cases.

Once an export licence application is received by the ECO, performance targets are applied to the length of time it takes Government to process. The targets, provided full information is supplied with the application, are:

  • 10 working days where circulation to other Government Departments is not required.
  • 20 working days where circulation to other Government Departments is required.

For the last four week period for which statistics have been compiled (22 September to 17 October 1997), those targets have been met in 71 per cent of non-circulated cases and 48 per cent. of circulated cases.

The ECO does not record the average length of time it takes for an export licence application to be issued.