§ Ms BuckTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the application for an export licence for mine-clearance equipment to Afghanistan. [131317]
§ Mr. HainFollowing consultations with this Department and the Ministry of Defence, the Department of Trade and Industry recently issued a licence for the export of mine clearance equipment for the use by the HALO Trust to aid their demining activities in Afghanistan. This licence was granted for humanitarian purposes. This decision does not affect the Government's continued support for the EU Common Position on arms exports to Afghanistan.