HC Deb 25 March 1994 vol 240 cc470-1W
Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each Government-to-Government or memorandum of understanding defence sales agreement since 1979, with the date of signing and indicating in each case whether all or part of the sales under the agreement had Crown status and were exempt from export licence controls; and in each such case how exemptions were reported to Parliament.

Mr. Aitken

Exports of defence equipment by Her Majesty's Government to:(a) the Government of Saudi Arabia, under the terms of the Al-Yamamah arrangement signed in 1985, 1986 and 1988, and (b) to the Government of Kuwait under the memorandum of understanding signed on 2 December 1992, have Crown status. As such, they do not require a licence. They are, however, assessed under the normal foreign and defence criteria.

Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which defence sales carried out since 1979 on behalf of International Military Services Ltd., Defence Sales Export Organisation, or Royal Ordnance or British Aerospace whilst in public ownership, carried exemptions from export licence controls.

Mr. Aitken

Only those sales made by Royal Ordnance through the sales supply organisations of the Defence Export Services Organisation had Crown status. Although no export licences were required, such exports took account of foreign and defence policy considerations.