§ Ann ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department takes the United Nations' Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners into account before approving the grant of export licences for oversize cuffs, jumbo cuffs and other restraining equipment. [98541]
§ Mr. Hain[holding answer 22 November 1999]The UK fully supports the provisions set out in the United Nations' Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.
The statement made by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth, North (Mr. Rapson) on 28 July 1997, Official Report, columns 65–66W, specifically exempted normal handcuffs.
85WNo licence is required to export handcuffs which have a maximum overall dimension, when locked, that does not exceed 240mm. The export of handcuffs over this size is controlled and applications for their export are assessed against the UK's national export criteria announced in July 1997 and the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports and in light of the ban on the export of leg irons and other items used in torture, announced in July 1997.