§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether any licences have been issued for exports of arms or other military equipment to Bahrain. [HL731]
§ The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Clinton-Davis)The Export Control Organisation's databases have been interrogated and the results are as follows.
Between 2 May 1997 and 12 January 1998, 13 Standard Individual Export Licences and 1 Open Individual Export Licence (OIEL) were issued to export goods controlled under entries Part III of Schedule I to the Export of Goods (Control) Order (the so-called "Military List") to Bahrain.
The entry in the legislation under which the export of goods is controlled is known as their rating. Individual export licences can cover a range of goods, controlled under several entries in the legislation. Where this is so, the licence is included in the table in the total shown against each of the relevant ratings.
Standard individual export licences issued between 2 May 1997 and 12 January 1998 covering goods on the Military List Ratings Number of licences covering goods with this rating ML1 6 ML3 1 ML4 1 ML5 1 ML6 1 ML11 2 ML13 1 One Media OIEL was issued during the period. Media OIELs are Open Individual Export Licences that authorise the export to any destination of protective clothing for the protection of aid agency workers and journalists working in areas of conflict.
This information should be considered in the light of my Answer of 30 October 1997 to my noble friend Lord Gallacher (Official Report, cols. WA256-WA258).