HC Deb 02 April 1996 vol 275 cc143-4W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what reports he has received alleging that the ban on the sale of torture equipment to certain countries has not been complied with; and if he will make a statement. [20354]

Mr. Oppenheim

I have not received any such reports. However, the Government deeply deprecate the export of any equipment knowingly to be used as an instrument of torture and would never themselves knowingly support such activity. In cases where export licences were required, no such licence would be granted if there was reason to believe that the goods would be misused for such purposes.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the allegations in the Channel 4 "Dispatches" programme of Government knowledge or approval of the export of torture equipment. [20351]

Mr. Oppenheim

I assume the programme to which the hon. Member refers is "The Torture Trail", originally screened on 11 January 1995. The Government deeply deprecate the export of any equipment knowingly to be used as an instrument of torture and would never themselves knowingly support such activity. In cases where export licences were required, no such licence would be granted if there was reason to believe that the goods would be misused for such purposes.

Mr. Wareing

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the offshore sale of arms and instruments of torture by British companies; what plans he has to prevent such sales; and if he will make a statement. [22293]

Mr. Oppenheim

[holding answer 22 March 1996]: I am not specifically aware of any such sales. However, in respect of goods licensable under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1989 the Government are considering whether to cover this issue in forthcoming public consultation on a range of export control matters following Sir Richard Scott's recent report.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information his Department has evaluated in respect of the sale of electro-shock weapons or equipment from the United Kingdom. [22323]

Mr. Oppenheim

I am aware of allegations made in a recent television programme. The export of electro-shock weapons from the United Kingdom is controlled under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1989 and there have been no allegations of any breaches of export controls. I am not specifically aware of any such sales organised off-shore by UK resident companies. However, in respect of goods licensable under the Export of Goods (Control) Order the Government are considering whether to cover this issue in forthcoming public consultation on a range of export control matters following Sir Richard Scott's recent report.

Mrs. Clwyd

To ask the President of the Board of Trade on how many occasions he has acted to prevent the export of electro-shock batons in the last three years. [21542]

Mr. Oppenheim

[holding answer 18 March 1996]: With the exception of the one transhipment licence referred to by my hon. Friend the Minister for Science and Technology in his letter of 3 August 1995 to the hon. Member in response to her question tabled on 17 July 1995, my Department has not received any applications for the export of electro-shock batons during the period in question.