§ Mr. Menzies CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many licences Her Majesty's Government have (a) granted and (b) refused for the export of arms to (i) Zimbabwe, (ii) Uganda and (iii) Rwanda for the period 1 January 1998 to the present day; and if he will make a statement. [91333]
§ Dr. HowellsThe 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 1 January 1998 and 7 July 1999, 46 Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) and 23 Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs) were issued covering the export to consignees or end-users in Rwanda, Uganda or Zimbabwe 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.
In the same period, two applications for such SIELs were refused; no applications for such OIELs were refused in full.
Individual licences may cover a range of goods with various ratings and OIELs may also cover a range of countries. Where this is so, the licence is included in the table in the total for all of the relevant ratings and/or countries.
102W
Individual Licences issued between 1 January 1998 and 7 July 1999 covering the export to Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe of goods on the Military List Rating Number of SIELs issued covering goods with this rating Number of applications refused for such SIELs Number of OIELs issued covering goods with this rating Rwanda PL5006 1 0 0 Uganda ML2 1 0 0 ML3 2 0 0 ML6 2 0 0 ML11 1 0 1 ML15 0 0 1 Zimbabwe ML1 11 0 3 ML2 7 0 2 ML3 5 1 4 ML4 1 1 0 ML5 3 0 0 ML6 3 0 3 MLIO 4 0 4 ML11 7 1 4 ML13 1 1 2 ML15 1 0 1
Individual Licences issued between 1 January 1998 and 7 July 1999 covering the export to Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe of goods on the Military List Rating Number of SIELs issued covering goods with this rating Number of applications refused for such SIELs Number of OIELs issued covering goods with this rating ML22 3 0 0 PL5002 0 0 3 PL5017 4 0 0 PL5018 1 0 2 PL5021 2 0 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. This information should be considered in light of the answer given by the then Minister for Small Firms, 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.
Certain Open General Export Licences cover the export to specified countries, including Uganda and Zimbabwe, of certain goods on the Military List. Copies of all Open General Export Licences valid at any time during the period are in the Library of the House.