HC Deb 28 March 2001 vol 365 cc654-5W
Mr. Laurence Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to speed up the granting of Export licences; and if he will make a statement. [155637]

Dr. Howells

[holding answer 27 March 2001]: Licences to export arms and other goods whose export is controlled for strategic reasons are issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry acting through the DTI's Export Control Organisation (ECO). All relevant individual licence applications are circulated by the DTI to other Government Departments with an interest as determined by those Departments in line with their policy responsibilities. These include FCO, MOD and DfID. There ate regular meetings between officials in these Departments to identify specific ways of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the export licensing system, as well as to discuss particular licence applications.

The Government take very seriously their responsibilities for exercising effective export controls. All relevant export licence applications to export strategic goods are rigorously assessed on a case-by-case basis against the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria.

The Government, are working hard to reduce processing times for export licence applications. We have set demanding targets for processing Standard Individual Export Licence (SIEL) applications. The aim is to provide a substantive response to such applications within 20 working days. The targets are set out in a Service and Performance Code published by the ECO, and information on performance against these targets is set out in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls. However, these targets do not apply to applications concerning Iran, Iraq or to applications for licences to export goods which are subject to control solely because of UN Sanctions. This is because there are special licensing procedures for those destinations, which reflect the Government's concerns.

Strategic export licensing is and must be a joined-up process. All applications are processed expeditiously and with care. However, some cases raise particularly difficult issues and these may take longer to process. But, where cases are outstanding with other departments for longer than the relevant target period the ECO systematically monitors and reminds them so that cases are resolved as quickly as possible.

Mr. Laurence Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to review the list of products which must obtain licences for export; and if he will make a statement. [155638]

Dr. Howells [holding answer 27 March 2001]

The lists of goods which are subject to export control are continuously under review as part of the UK's obligations under the various International Proliferation and Arms Control Conventions and Regimes. These organisations conduct periodic or continuous reviews of their lists and changes are negotiated, and agreed, as necessary.

The UK's implementation of these changes is carried out by means of amendments to national secondary legislation (the Export of Goods (Control) Order and the Dual Use Items (Export Control) Regulations 2000) or amendments to EC Council Regulations.

Mr. Laurence Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will make decisions on export licence application numbers 19065, 19460. 19856 and 19679, submitted by P.W. Allen and Company, Tewkesbury. [155636]

Dr. Howells

[holding answer, 27 March 2001]: Licences to export arms and other goods whose export is controlled for strategic reasons are issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade, and Industry acting through the DTI's Export Control Organisation (ECO). A decision has been reached on application 19065, and the company was informed of that decision by the ECO on 2 March 2001.

A decision has not yet been reached on the other three applications. Decisions will be taken as quickly as possible consistent with the need to give full consideration to the issues involved.

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