HC Deb 19 April 1989 vol 151 c183W
49. Mr. Cohen

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to extend the export licence system to cover material capable of being used for torture.

Mr. Alan Clark

Licences are required for export to all destinations of military, para-military, police and security equipment which is subject to control under the Export of Goods (Control) Order, 1987, (SI 1987, No. 2070) as amended. It is not our normal practice to grant a licence for the export of equipment which is likely to be used for internal repression.

It is impractical to seek to control materials capable of being used for torture, since almost any material could be put to such use.