§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to introduce a ban on the brokering, promotion and installation of death penalty technology and equipment by UK companies; and what representations he has received on these matters. [66892]
§ Dr. Howells[holding answer 25 January 1999]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth, North (Mr. Rapson) on 28 July 1997, Official Report, columns 65–66, which announced a ban on the export of certain, specified equipment that has been used in torture. I understand that there is no present intention to extend the scope of this ban, and that there is no accepted definition of "death penalty technology", which could encompass technology relating to the production and use of a very wide range of items. The Government's proposals for new powers to control trafficking and brokering of the goods covered by the ban 509W announced by the Foreign Secretary were set out in the White Paper on Strategic Export Controls (Cm 3989), published in July 1998. The Government have received a number of responses to the White Paper, and regularly receive representations on various issues relating to strategic export controls.