§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what guarantees were received from the Government of Indonesia concerning the military uses of exports from Britain of vehicles, planes and other military equipment.
§ Mr. Needham[holding answer 24 November 1993]: Each export licence application is treated on its merits on a case-by-case basis. Her Majesty's Government's policy on the export of defence equipment is based on the right of sovereign states to their own self defence in accordance with article 51 of the UN charter.
Her Majesty's Government has no reason to believe that military goods exported under licence to Indonesia have been used for internal security purposes. We have received assurances from the Indonesian Government as recently as this summer that the Hawk aircraft, for example, will not be used for internal security purposes.