HC Deb 14 March 2000 vol 346 cc123-4W
Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list all arms sales to Pakistan, for which export licences have been applied for in the past year, together with the level of ECGD support provided and the costs to the British High Commissioner of promoting such sales. [113825]

Dr. Howells

[holding answer 13 March 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 and the following results were obtained. Between 1 January 1999 and 3 March 2000,69 Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) and 18 Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs) were issued covering the export to consignees or end-users in Pakistan 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 1 January 1999 and 3 March 2000 covering the export to Pakistan 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 1 0
ML2 1 0
ML3 1 0
ML4 4 1
ML5 3 1
ML6 5 1
ML9 8 5
ML10 11 4
ML11 7 5
ML13 0 1
ML15 1 0
ML18 1 1
ML22 2 2
PL5017 5 1
PL5033 0 1
End use 13 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 I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingswood (Mr. Berry) on 27 July 1999, Official Report, columns 307–08W.

In addition, Pakistan 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 the level of ECGD support, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Trade and Industry on 8 February 2000, Official Report, column 122W.

Finally, as regards costs to the British High Commissioner of promoting defence sales, I understand this information is not compiled.