HC Deb 17 July 1998 vol 316 cc353-6W
Mr. Paice

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the number of export licences(a) applied for and (b) granted for the supply of aircraft parts for each of the last five years together with the average time taken by her Department to resolve the application; and what is the target time which her Department now endeavours to achieve. [49180]

Mrs. Roche

[holding answer 6 July 1998]: Entry ML10 in the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 controls the export of specified aircraft, unmanned airborne vehicles, aero-engines and aircraft equipment, and related goods and components, specially designed or modified for military use. A large number of other entries in the export control legislation may also control the export of aircraft-related equipment. The entry in the legislation under which the export of goods is controlled is known as their rating.

The Export Control Organisation's computer databases have been interrogated, and the following results were obtained:

Between 1 January 1994 and 12 June 1998, 7,905 applications for Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) and 474 applications for Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs) covering the export of goods with the rating ML10 were received. In the same period, 7,194 SIELs and 370 OIELs were issued covering such exports.

Number of applications for individual licences received, and individual licences issued, in each calendar year covering the export of goods with the rating ML10
Year Applications received SIELs Licences issued Applications received OIELs Licences issued
1994 2,177 2,142 41 36
1995 1,644 1,415 27 25
1996 1,622 1,471 201 175
1997 1,689 1,420 104 79
1998 (to 12 June) 773 746 101 55

This information should be considered in light of my answer to my hon. Friend, the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint), on 30 October 1997, Official Report, columns 870–71.

Aircraft parts may also have been exported during this period under certain Open General Export Licences; copies of Open General Export Licences valid at any time during the period are in the Library of the House.

As regards performance targets and the average time taken to process the applications referred to above, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the President of the Board of Trade on 24 November 1997 to the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) on 24 November 1997, Official Report, column 416.

Ann Clwyd

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many applications for licences for the export of(a) paramilitary, (b) security and (c) police equipment to Guinea Bissau have been (i) granted, (ii) refused and (iii) revoked, (1) between February 1995 and May 1997 inclusive and (2) since May 1997; and what was the export licence category in each case. [49346]

Mrs. Roche

The Export Control Organisation's computer databases have been interrogated and the following results were obtained:

Between 1 February 1995 and 1 May 1997 one Standard Individual Export Licence was issued covering the export to Guinea-Bissau of goods subject to export control by being listed in Part III of Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, the so-called Military List. This licence covered goods whose export is controlled under entry PL5018 of the Military List.

No other Standard or Open Individual Export Licences covering such exports were issued or revoked, and no applications refused for such licences, in that period or in the period between 2 May 1997 and 12 June 1998.

This information does not cover any Media OIELS that may have been issued during this period. Media OIELS are Open Individual Export Licences that authorise the export to all destinations of protective clothing, mainly for the protection of aid agency workers and journalists, when working in areas of conflict.

This information should be considered in light of my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley on 30 October 1997, Official Report, columns 870–871.

It is not possible to break down these data in the manner requested, as the equipment covered by many entries in the Military List could be used by military, paramilitary, or police end-users.

Goods on the Military List may have been exported to Guinea-Bissau under certain Open General Export Licences; copies of all Open General Export Licences valid at any time during the period are in the Library of the House.

Mr. Gardiner

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the export licences issued by her Department for military equipment to Sri Lanka during the last 12 months. [49691]

Mrs. Roche

The Export Control Organisation's computer databases have been interrogated, and the following results were obtained:

Between 13 June 1997 and 12 June 1998, 68 individual licences were issued covering the export to consignees or end-users in Sri Lanka of goods subject to export control by being listed in Part III of Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, the so-called Military List. Sixty-five Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs), and 3 Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs). The entry in the relevant legislation under which the export of goods is controlled is known as their rating. Individual licences may cover a range of goods with various ratings. Where this is so, the licence is included in the table in the total for all the relevant ratings.

Individual licences issues between 13 June 1997 and 12 June 1998 covering the export to Sri Lanka of goods on the military list
Rating Number of SIELs issued covering goods with this rating Number of OIELs issued covering goods with this rating
ML1 16 0
ML2 4 0
ML3 7 0
ML4 8 0
ML5 1 0
ML6 1 0
ML7 1 0
ML10 2 2
ML11 21 1
ML14 1 0
ML15 2 0
ML21 1 0
ML22 1 0
PL5001 1 0
PL5017 1 0

This information does not cover any Media OIELs that may have been issued during this period. Media OIELs authorise the export to all destinations of protective clothing, mainly for the protection of aid agency workers and journalists, when working in areas of conflict.

This information should be considered in light of my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) on 30 October 1997, Official Report, columns 870–71.

In addition, goods on the Military List may have been exported to Sri Lanka under certain Open General Export Licences; copies of all Open General Export Licences valid at that time during the period are in the Library of the House.