§ Kali MountfordTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent authorisations for the issue of export licences for Iran as exceptions to the national arms embargo there have been. [147699]
§ Mr. WilsonThe Government have recently issued a licence for the export of industrial gas turbine parts to Iran for civil end use. This particular industrial engine has been developed from a military engine and is commonly used to drive pumps and electric generators. The engine is not subject to export control when it is exported as a complete unit. However, when it is broken down into component form, a very small percentage of its parts are unchanged from their original form and, as military components, come within the scope of the UK's arms embargo and are controlled under Part III of Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994.
The Government are satisfied that Iran does not possess any aircraft powered by the original military engine, and that the risk of the components being diverted for use by the Iranian military is minimal.