§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why permits were issued for the sale of radar equipment in Chinese fighter aircraft in September; whether such permits were excluded by the Madrid European Community summit declaration; and whether Export Credit Guarantees Department help was given to the Chinese Government for the purchase of such equipment.
§ Mr. MaudeIn accordance with the Madrid declaration we have banned exports to China of weapons, together with any equipment which could be used for the purposes of internal repression, and postponed the examination of new requests for credit insurance. The avionics equipment to be supplied by GEC Marconi falls outside the embargo. It is subject to ECGD export credit cover, but as this was finalised prior to the events of June, it is not covered by the Madrid declaration.