§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 25 November,Official Report, columns 252-53, if he will publish a table showing the number of export licences (a) approved and (b) refused in each year since 1984 under the heading ML7, relating to military defence against biological agents.
§ Mr. NeedhamExport licences(a) approved and (b) refused for goods under the heading ML7 from 1992 to 8 December 1993 are as follows:
Year Number (a) 1992 310 1993 206 (b) 1992 2 1993 0 ML7 is an entry in the Export of Goods (Control) Order which includes controls on biological agents themselves, as well as equipment for military defence against them. Records of export licences are kept for seven years. It would be possible for the precise information requested covering the period 1986 to date to be provided, but only at a disproportionate cost.