§ Mr. ChidgeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications have been(a) made and (b) granted for export licences for (i) leg-irons and (ii) over-sized cuffs in each year since 1997. [82940]
§ Nigel Griffiths[holding answer 26 November 2002]: The export of leg-irons, over-sized handcuffs and individual cuffs are controlled under entry PL5001 in Part III of Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended, to ensure as far as possible, full compliance by the UK on the embargo on instruments of torture.
The number of Standard Individual Export Licence (SIEL) applications and Open Individual Export Licence (OIEL) applications that have been made and granted, for the proposed export of over-sized handcuffs, is set out in the table below:
Over-sized handcuffs SIEL applications received SIELs issued OIEL applications received OIELs issued 2 May 1997–31 December 1997 4 3 0 0 1998 10 10 0 0 1999 7 6 0 0 2000 9 5 1 0 2001 6 4 0 0 1 January 2002— 15 November 2002 5 6 0 0 During the same period, no SIEL applications or OIEL applications were made or granted for the proposed export of leg-irons or over-sized individual cuffs.
This information should be considered in light of the answer tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche) in response to my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) on 30 October 1997, Official Report, columns 870–871.