§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his target is for processing Standard Individual Export Licence applications; and how actual performance compared to these targets in the last eight quarterly periods for which figures are available. [149634]
§ Dr. HowellsThe Government's aim is to provide a substantive response to standard individual export licence applications (SIELs) within 20 working days. Our overall target is to achieve this in 70 per cent. of all cases, excluding applications concerning Iran or Iraq, or applications for licences to export goods which are subject to control solely because of UN sanctions.
In December 2000, 47.7 per cent. of SIELs were processed within this target. For figures from January to November 2000, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Vale of Clwyd (Mr. Ruane) on 9 January 2001, Official Report, columns 496–97W. Figures were not collected on a quarterly basis before 1 January 2000. The performance for the whole of 1999 can be found in the Government's annual report on strategic export controls.