§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for each year since 1997, what is the(a) average and (b) upper decile time taken to determine (i) an export licence and (ii) a 680 application. [25387]
§ Nigel GriffithsThe processing of Form 680 applications for the advance approval for promotion prior to formal application for an export licence is the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence.
The Export Control Organisation (ECO) sets out the Government's commitment to exporters in a Service and Performance Code (available on its website (www.dti.gov.uk/export.control). Where, as in almost all cases, it is necessary for a Standard Individual Export Licence (SIEL) application to be circulated to other Government Departments the aim is to provide a response to 70 per cent. of cases within 20 working days, except in special circumstances. Details of performance in processing SIEL applications against the target are published in the Government's annual report on strategic export controls, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.
Prior to the introduction of the ECO's current computer database during 1999, information on the average time taken to process a SIEL application was not recorded. It would therefore entail disproportionate cost to establish the average and upper decile time taken to process a SIEL application between 1997 and 1999.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to the right hon. Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory) on 10 May 2001, Official Report, columns 305-06W, for details of the average time taken to process a SIEL application in 2000. The upper decile time taken to process a SIEL application in 2000 was 53 working days.
The average time taken in working days to process a SIEL application whose processing was completed in 2001 is as follows:
Working days Mode 13 Median 18 Mean 31 Upper decile 59 Any comparison of the average and upper decile time taken to process a SIEL application between 2000 and 2001 would not provide for an accurate reflection of the Government's performance, given the Export Control Organisation's success in finalising a number of long standing cases during 2001, which are not reflected in previous years' figures. The figures do not take account of periods during which applications were referred back to exporters for further information. These occur, for example, when the nature or end user of the goods requires further clarification.
It would entail disproportionate cost to establish the average and upper decile time taken to process all Open Individual Export Licence applications since 1997.
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§ Ann ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether it is the procedure of officials in her Department to advise companies who have applied for export licences that are likely to be refused, to withdraw the licence application prior to formal refusal. [35031]
§ Nigel GriffithsThere are no procedures in place to advise companies to withdraw licence applications prior to a refusal decision being made.
§ Ann ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many and what percentage per year of export licence applications for dual use goods were circulated to other Departments for consultation, broken down by the export categories and countries of destination for the export licence applications in the last 12 months. [32272]
§ Nigel GriffithsWhere items are deemed licensable and not covered by an Open General Licence, all export licence applications for dual use items are circulated to other Government Departments for consultation. The number of export licence applications covering dual use items, together with their description or rating, is published by destination in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls.
The 2001 annual report will be published as soon as possible.