Export Licences (Hansard, 25 July 1988)

§ Mr. David Nicholson
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what number of applications for export licences were received by his Department during the following periods(a) April to June 1986, (b) April to June 1987, and (c) April to June 1988.

§ Mr. Alan Clark
The figures were as follows:

1986 1987 1988

Total applications for export licences received by the DTI in the three months April–June 23,358 25,496 26,211

§ Mr. David Nicholson
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what targets he sets for the time, after which an applicant for an export licence should receive his licence.

§ Mr. Alan Clark
Straightforward applications to export goods to non-sensitive destinations should be granted or refused a licence within seven working days. About two thirds of the applications received by the Department of Trade and Industry fall into this category. Other applications, which may involve extensive consultation with other Government Departments and with COCOM partners in the case of certain export to Eastern Europe or China, take considerably longer. Where practicable, targets are set for these applications according to the nature of the goods, the proposed destination and end-user and the extent of the consultation necessary.

§ Mr. David Nicholson
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the average length of time taken to process an export licence application, during the following periods(a) April to June 1986, (b) April to June 1987 and (c) April to June 1988.

§ Mr. Alan Clark
In the three periods stated, some 75,000 applications were received. Applications are handled case by case and details are recorded manually. Information on average processing times could not be provided except at disproportionate cost.

§ Mr. David Nicholson
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many staff in his Department were engaged wholly or mainly on export licensing work on the following dates(a) 1 April 1986, (b) 1 April 1987 and (c) 1 April 1988.

§ Mr. Alan Clark
The numbers of staff up to and including grade 7 (principal) engaged wholly or mainly on export licensing work were:

April 1986 April 1987 April 1988

52 52 56

Notes:
1. In May 1988 an additional seven staff were posted to export licensing.
2. The figures do not include DTI technical staff who provide technical ratings and assessments of certain applications.

	1986	1987	1988
Total applications for export licences received by the DTI in the three months April–June	23,358	25,496	26,211