§ Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the operation of the(a) Joined-up and more Efficient Working on Export Licensing (JEWEL) and (b) SCOPE programmes. [170988]
§ Nigel GriffithsThe JEWEL review was completed at the end of 2003. The recommendations of the review, now being implemented, included, among other things
a joint mission statement "promoting global security through strategic export controls, facilitating responsible exports", together with guiding principles which focus on transparency and customer service securing a common agenda across all Government Departments;a series of measures to improve the guidance and training for exporters in completing licence applications;a new published performance target to process 95 per cent. of all standard-type licence applications within 60 working days. This will sit alongside the current target of processing 70 per cent. of applications within 20 working days. The average time taken to process licences which have taken more than 20 days will be published:a new joint-working procedure across Government Departments; and as far as is practicable, common IT systems between the Departments involved in the licensing process.As regards (b), the operation of SCOPE, lead responsibility for this project rests with my hon. Friend, the Minister for the Cabinet Office.