HC Deb 28 March 2001 vol 365 cc649-50W
Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what provision will be made for parliamentary scrutiny of lists of acceptable destinations for exports under the framework agreement concerning measures to facilitate the restructuring and operation of the European defence industry; [155487]

(2) if exports with significant United Kingdom participation, agreed under the framework agreement concerning measures to facilitate the restructuring and operation of the European defence industry, and exported from and licensed by another of the parties to the agreement, will be included in the United Kingdom annual report on strategic export controls; [155489]

(3) what process will be used to draw up a list of acceptable destinations for exports under the framework agreement concerning measures to facilitate the restructuring and operation of the European defence industry; and what role industry will play in this process; [155486]

(4) if the (a) range, (b) quantity of items and (c) eventual end-users covered by a global project licence will be clearly identified in the annual report on strategic export controls under the framework agreement concerning measures to facilitate the restructuring and operation of the European defence industry. [155488]

Dr. Howells

The annual report on strategic export controls will provide details of all export licences issued by the UK relating to framework agreement projects in a similar way to current reporting.

The process to draw up lists of acceptable destinations or White Lists is set out in Article 13(3) of the framework agreement. The Ministry of Defence, with support from both DTI and FCO is continuing discussions with other participating countries on the modalities of the operation

and maintenance of the White Lists. Industry will continue to be consulted on these discussions as proposals are developed. These White Lists will represent declarations of interest in potential export opportunities by the company involved and as such are commercially sensitive. It would not therefore be appropriate to publish these lists. The lists themselves will not function as export licences and exporters will still have to apply for export licences from the country from which the final export will take place. The UK will continue to apply high levels of transparency through our annual reports on strategic export controls to such licensing decisions and will encourage other countries, including other participating countries, who are all signatories to the EU Code of Conduct, to be equally open.

The publication of this information will mean there will be no reduction in the level of Parliamentary scrutiny of these export licensing decisions.