§ Mr. Menzies CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what end-user undertakings were given with regard to arms exports to the Channel Islands between 1 January and 31 December 1998 regarding the 291W permanent OIELs issued under summary classifications 14 and 333 and the SIELs issued under classifications ML1, ML2, ML3 and ML4; and if he will make a statement. [100112]
§ Dr. HowellsIn almost all circumstances, applications for a Standard Individual Export Licence (SIEL) must be supported by an appropriate end-user undertaking. Where the intended consignee is a Government body, and the application is not for a licence to export chemicals listed in Schedule 2 or 3 to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) to a state which has not ratified the CWC, a copy of the official purchase order or a copy of the relevant part of the contract covering the order is normally sufficient.
An Open Individual Export Licence (OIEL) is specific to an individual exporter and covers multiple shipments of specified goods to specified destinations and/or, in some cases, specified consignees. The exporter must obtain from each consignee an appropriate end-user undertaking for each export before the export takes place, or not later than one month after the date of exportation.
Under arrangements between the DTI's Export Control Organisation (ECO) and Jersey and Guernsey Customs and Excise Departments, the latter send ECO all applications for a licence to export arms or other goods controlled for strategic reasons from the Channel Islands. ECO then circulates these applications to OGDs for advice in line with their policy requirements as determined by them, before giving advice to the relevant Channel Islands licensing authority. Copies of licences issued for the export of such goods to the Channel Islands are sent to the Channel Islands authorities.
§ Mr. Menzies CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on arms exports to the Channel Islands, with specific reference to Clauses 5(a), 11(a) and 11(d) of the criteria used in considering conventional arms export licence applications. [100114]
§ Dr. HowellsAll applications for a licence to export to the Channel Islands any goods subject to control by being listed in Part III of Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, as amended (commonly known as the Military List), are considered against the criteria announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 28 July 1997,Official Report, columns 26–29, and the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports. Copies of licences issued for the export of such goods to the Channel Islands are sent to the Channel Islands authorities.
§ Mr. Menzies CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions since 1 May 1997 the export licensing authorities of the Channel Islands have consulted his Department with regard to the re-export of arms originally exported to the Channel Islands under licence from his Department; what the outcome was of these consultations; and if he will make a statement. [100115]
§ Dr. HowellsUnder arrangements between the DTI's Export Control Organisation (ECO) and Jersey and Guernsey Customs and Excise Departments, the latter send ECO all applications for a licence to export arms or other goods controlled for strategic reasons from the Channel Islands. ECO then circulates these applications to OGDs for advice in line with their policy requirements292W as determined by them, before giving advice to the relevant Channel Islands licensing authority. Copies of all licences issued for the export of such goods to the Channel Islands are sent to the Channel Islands authorities.
While ECO do not maintain a central record of the number of times that the Channel Islands authorities have requested advice, I understand that all decisions taken by the latter have been in line with the advice they have been given, whether or not the goods concerned were originally exported to the Channel Islands from the UK.