§ Mr. CanavanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many licences have been granted since 1 May 1997 for the export of arms to Bahrain; and if he will provide details of the arms covered by each licence and the declared purpose. [71301]
§ Dr. Howells[holding answer 15 February 1999]: The entry in the relevant 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 2 May 1997 and 29 January 1999, 45 Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) and 26 Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs) were issued covering the export to consignees or end-users in Bahrain 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. 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 of the relevant ratings.
Individual licences issued between 2 May 1997 and 29 January 1999 covering the export to Bahrain of goods on the Military List Rating Number of SIELs issued covering Number of goods with this rating Number of OIELs issued covering goods with this rating ML1 14 1 ML2 8 0 ML3 12 0 ML4 1 2 ML5 5 7 ML6 1 0 ML7 0 1 ML8 0 1 ML9 0 1 ML10 0 4 ML11 5 11 ML13 3 2 ML14 0 1 ML15 0 2 ML18 0 1 ML21 0 2 ML22 0 2 PL5006 3 0 PL5017 3 1 PL5030 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.
378WThis information should be considered in light of the answer given by 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.
Details of the military equipment for which licences are granted will be given in the Government's annual report on strategic export controls for the relevant period.
As regards the additional information requested about the stated end use, this could be compiled only by examining the original case papers for each of the licences concerned, and this together with any inquiries necessary under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, would entail disproportionate cost.
In addition, goods on the Military List may have been exported to Bahrain 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.