§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of applications for export licences were processed by the Export Control Organisation in accordance with their targets as to time in the four-week periods in(a) July 1998, (b) September 1998 and (c) January 1999. [71842]
§ Dr. HowellsThe Export Control Organisation (ECO) of DTI measures its performance against two aims
to provide a substantive response to an application within 20 working days of receipt for applications that need to be circulated to other Government Departments according to their policy requirements as determined by them ('circulated' cases):to provide such a response within 10 working days of receipt for applications that are dealt with by DTI itself ('non-circulated' cases).In each case, full documentation in support of the application must be provided by the applicant at the outset for these targets to apply.
ECO management data on the processing of licence applications are complied on the basis of four-week periods. The period closest to July 1998 is 27 June 1998 to 24 July 1998; for the period closest to September 1998 it is 22 August 1998 to 18 September and for the period closest to January 1999 it is 9 January 1999 to 5 February 1999.
To the nearest point, the percentage of licence applications completed within the published targets were as follows:
Circulated (20 day target) Non-circulated (10 day target) 27 June 1998 to 24 July 1998 43 83 22 August 1998 to 18 September 1998 38 82 9 January 1999 to 5 February 1999 62 82 This information was taken from the Export Control Organisation's management data, which are compiled in order to monitor performance at processing applications for Standard Individual Export Licences. The performance measures do not apply to applications for Open Individual Export Licences (due to the very wide variations between goods and country coverage of such licences), or for licences covering Iran or Iraq, or exports subject to control solely because of United Nations Sanctions.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many export licence applications were refused by the Export Control Organisation during each of the four-week periods used by his Department since March 1998. [71841]
314W
§ Dr. HowellsThe Export Control Organisation's computer databases have been interrogated and the number of applications for individual export licences refused in full for each period are as follows:
Period Standard Individual Export Licence applications Open Individual Export Licence applications 7 March 1998 to 3 April 1998 4 1 4 April 1998 to 1 May 1998 8 0 2 May 1998 to 29 May 1998 8 0 30 May 1998 to 26 June 1998 9 0 27 June 1998 to 27 July 1998 4 0 25 July 1998 to 21 August 1998 10 0 22 August 1998 to 18 September 1998 10 0 19 September 1998 to 16 October 1998 10 0 17 October 1998 to 13 November 1998 9 0 14 November 1998 to 11 December 1998 11 0 12 December 1998 to 8 January 1999 6 0 9 January 1999 to 5 February 32 0 This information should be considered in the light of the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche) to my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) on 30 October 1997, Official Report, columns 870–71.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry(a) how many defence export licence applications have been withdrawn since 1 May 1997 and (b) if he will estimate the total value of the goods to which they related. [71839]
§ Dr. HowellsThe Export Control Organisation's computer databases have been interrogated and the following results were obtained. Between 2 May 1997 and 8 February 1999,779 applications for Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) covering the export 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, were withdrawn by the applicants. The total value of the goods as stated on these applications was £399 million. In the same period, 11 applications for Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs) covering such exports were withdrawn. There is generally no cumulative limit to the quantity or value of exports permitted under OIELs, so no corresponding figure for the aggregate value can be determined.
This information does not cover any applications for Media OIELs that may have been withdrawn 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.
Some applications may have been withdrawn before a determination had been made as to whether or not the goods were listed in the Military List. Such applications are not included in this answer.
This information should be considered in light of the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche) to my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) on 30 October 1997 Official Report, columns 870–71.
An application may be withdrawn for a number of reasons. For instance, an application for a SIEL may be withdrawn on issue of an OIEL or an Open General Export 315W Licence that covers the proposed export; or the potential export may simply fail to materialise. There is no requirement that the applicant should give the Department of Trade and Industry a reason for withdrawal.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many export licence applications were processed by the Export Control Organisation in each of the four-week periods used by his Department since March 1998, broken down by(a) those circulated to other Government departments and (b) those not circulated. [71840]
§ Dr. HowellsThe information, beginning with the four week period nearest to the date specified, is as follows:
Period Application circulated to other departments according to their policy requirements and completed during the period Applications not circulated to other departments and completed during the period 7 March 1998 to 3 April 1998 1,039 111 4 April 1998 to 1 May 1998 704 145 2 May 1998 to 29 May 1998 710 94 30 May 1998 to 26 June 1998 670 77 27 June 1998 to 24 July 1998 564 119 25 July 1998 to 21 August 1998 858 123 22 August 1998 to 18 September 1998 718 93 19 September 1998 to 16 October 1998 675 99 17 October 1998 to 13 November 1998 836 86 14 November 1998 to 11 December 1998 756 131 12 December 1998 to 8 January 1999 678 97 9 January 1999 to 5 February 1999 854 126 The information has been taken from the Export Control Organisation's management data which are compiled in order to monitor performance of processing applications for Standard Individual Export Licences. The above data do not include applications for Open Individual Export Licences, for applications to export goods to Iran or Iraq or exports which are subject to control solely because of United Nations Sanctions.