HC Deb 08 February 1999 vol 325 cc44-5W
Ann Clwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department has taken to evaluate and audit the military, security and police equipment exported to Saudi Arabia by British Aerospace which, under the A1 Yamamah agreement, is exempt from export licence requirement. [68330]

Mr. George Robertson

I have been asked to reply.

Equipment supplied to Saudi Arabia under the A1 Yamamah programme is covered by contracts placed on British Aerospace by the Ministry of Defence. Prior to contract placement, the same criteria as those used for export licensing are applied when evaluating requirements.

Mr. Alan Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the export licences granted to GKL Group for the export of armoured vehicles components and weapons to Indonesia since 1988. [68329]

Dr. Howells

Inquiries are being made under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Where confidential information is involved, the parties concerned may be asked if they consent to its disclosure, and this can take some time. I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible, and place a copy of that letter in the Library of the House.

Ann Clwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the military and paramilitary export licences granted to(a) Sky Air Cargo and (b) Occidental Airlines between 1 January 1996 and 1 January 1999, indicating the export category and country of destination in each case. [68238]

Dr. Howells

The export of specified military and paramilitary equipment is controlled under entries in the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, the so-called Military List. The Export Control Organisation's computer databases have been interrogated, and no standard or open individual export licences covering goods with such ratings are recorded as having been issued to these companies between 1 January 1996 and 1 January 1999.

This information should be considered in light of the answer given by the then Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche), to my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) on 30 October 1997, Official Report,columns 870–71.