HC Deb 25 February 1999 vol 326 cc378-9W
Mr. Alan Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will list(a) the licence applications for military exports to Indonesia which have been refused in the past five years and (b) the reasons for the refusals; [71923]

(2) if he will list the export licence applications for military exports to Indonesia which have been refused in the past five years. [72017]

Dr. Howells

The Export Control Organisation's computer databases have been interrogated and the following results were obtained. In the calendar years 1994 to 1998, 21 applications for Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) and one application for an Open Individual Export Licence (OIEL) were refused covering the export to consignees or end-users in Indonesia 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. The entry in the relevant legislation under which the export of goods is controlled is known as their rating. Applications for individual licences may cover a range of goods with various ratings. Where this is so, the application is included in the total for all of the relevant ratings.

Number of applications for SIELs refused in each calendar year covering the export to Indonesia of goods on the Military List
Rating 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
ML1 1 2 3 3 1
ML2 1 1 0 0 0
ML3 3 0 1 0 0
ML4 0 0 0 1 0
ML5 1 0 0 0 0
ML6 0 0 0 1 0
ML7 1 0 0 0 0
ML14 0 0 0 1 0
ML15 1 0 0 0 0
PL5002 0 0 0 1 0
PL5017 0 0 0 1 0
PL5018 3 0 1 0 0
PL5021 2 0 0 0 0
Total number of applications 5 3 4 8 1

The single application for an OIEL was refused in 1996, and covered goods with the ratings ML4, ML11, ML14 and ML24.

This information does not cover any applications for Media OIELs that may have been refused 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.

This 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.

The decisions to refuse these applications were taken in accordance with the criteria applied at the relevant times.