§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the export licences for defence equipment to Bahrain for each of the past five years, indicating the amount underwritten by the ECGD. [109488]
§ Dr. Howells[holding answer 14 February 2000]: 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. Between 1 January 1995 and 1 May 1997, 71 Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) and 19 Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs) were issued covering the export to consignees or end-users in Bahrain of goods subject to control by being listed in Part III of Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, commonly known as the Military List.
As regards export licences granted for the export of military goods to Bahrain between 2 May 1997 and 31 December 1998, details of export licensing decisions in this period were set out in the Government's Annual Reports published by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in March and November 1999. The Reports give details of the military equipment licensed for export during the periods as well as the ratings of these goods. Similar details of the military equipment licensed in later years will be set out in the relevant Annual Reports.
As regards licences granted since 1 January 1999, the Export Control Organisation's computer databases have been interrogated. Between 1 January 1999 and 31 January 2000, 17 SIELs and 14 OIELs have been issued covering the export of the relevant goods to Bahrain. A breakdown of the licences issued between 1 January 1995 and 1 May 1997 and between 1 January 1999 and 31 January 2000 are set out in the tables.
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.
631W
Standard Individual Export Licences issued for the export to Bahrain of goods on the Military List Rating 1995 1996 1 January 1997 to 1 May 1997 1 January 1999 to 31 January 2000 ML1 10 9 3 9 ML2 2 0 0 3 ML3 2 5 1 2 ML4 1 3 0 0 ML5 1 1 0 4 ML6 0 2 0 0 ML7 4 2 1 0 ML9 0 1 0 0 ML10 1 1 0 2 ML11 2 6 2 0 ML13 0 2 1 0 ML15 4 3 0 1 ML24 0 1 0 0 PL5006 1 1 0 0 PL5017 0 0 0 3 PL5018 1 1 0 1 PL5021 0 1 0 0 PL5032 0 1 0 0
Open Individual Export Licences issued for the export to Bahrain of goods on the Military List Rating 1995 1996 1 January 1997 to 1 May 1997 1 January 1999 to 31 January 2000 ML1 0 0 0 1 ML2 0 0 0 1 ML3 0 0 0 1 ML4 0 2 0 2 ML5 0 3 0 7 ML6 0 2 0 3 ML11 2 5 0 6 ML13 1 5 0 1 PL5006 0 0 0 1 PL5017 1 1 0 1 PL5030 0 0 0 1 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 I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingswood (Mr. Berry) on 27 July 1999, Official Report, columns 307–08W.
In addition, Bahrain is a permitted destination on certain Open General Export Licences, covering the export of 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.
As regards export credit, ECGD has not provided cover in support of the export of any defence related equipment to Bahrain in any of the last five years.