§ Mr. GardinerTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many export licences have been granted for arms exports to Sri Lanka since 2 May 1997; when the last licence was granted; and what it was for. [75510]
§ Dr. HowellsI have been asked to reply.
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 25 February 1999, 106 Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) and 12 Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs) were issued covering the export to consignees or end-users in Sri Lanka of goods subject to export control by being listed in Part III of Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, commonly known as the Military List. 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.
Individual licences issued between 2 May 1997 and 25 February 1999 covering the export to Sri Lanka of goods on the Military List Rating Number of SIELs issued covering goods with this rating Number of OIELs issued covering goods with this rating ML1 23 0 ML2 8 0 ML3 11 0 ML4 14 1 ML5 2 0 ML6 2 0 ML7 2 0 ML10 3 4 ML11 33 5 ML13 1 1 ML14 1 0 ML15 3 1 ML21 2 0 ML22 3 0 PL5001 1 0 PL5006 1 0 PL5017 3 0 This information does not cover any Media OIELs that may have been issued during this period. Media OIELs 684W 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.
In addition, goods on the Military List may have been exported to Sri Lanka 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.
The date on which the last of the above licences was issued during the period was 18 February 1999, and this licence, a SIEL, covered the export of goods with the rating ML3.
As noted in the answer given by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Dr. Jones), on 14 July 1998, Official Report, column 149, details of the military equipment for which licences have been granted will be published in the Government's annual reports on strategic export controls and their application.