§ Mr. AustinTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export licences have been(a) granted and (b) refused for the export of military equipment to Sri Lanka since June. [59509]
§ Mrs. RocheThe entry in the relevant legislation under which the export of goods is controlled is known as their rating.
The Export Control Organisation' s computer databases have been interrogated and the following results were obtained. Between 1 June and 16 October 1998, 23 individual licences were issued covering the export to consignees or end-users in Sri Lanka of goods subject to export control by being listed in Part III of Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, the so-called Military List: 15 standard individual export licences (SIELs) and 8 open individual export licences (OIELs). In the same period, no applications for such SIELs or OIELs were refused. Individual licences may cover a range of goods with various ratings. Where this is so, the licence is included in the Table in the total for all of the relevant ratings.
Individual licences issued between 1 June and 16 October 1998 covering the export to Sri Lanka of goods on the Military List Rating Number of SIELs issued covering goods with this rating Number of OIELs issued covering goods with this rating ML1 2 0 ML2 1 0 ML3 2 0 ML4 2 0 ML5 1 0 ML10 1 2 ML11 4 4 ML13 1 1 ML15 1 1 This information should be considered in light of my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) on 30 October 1997, Official Report, columns 870-71.
This information does not cover any Media OIELs that may have been issued during this period. Media OIELs authorise the export to all destinations of protective clothing, mainly for the protection of aid agency workers and journalists, when working in areas of conflict.
In addition, goods on the Military List may have been exported to Sri Lanka under certain Open General Export Licences; copies of all Open General Export Licences valid at any time during the period are in the Library of the House.