§ Ann ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what information she has received concerning the deployment of British-made Stormer armoured vehicles to Aceh, Indonesia; and what representations on that subject he has made to the Indonesian Government. [36930]
§ Mr. BradshawI have been asked to reply.
The British Embassy in Jakarta received information that three Stormer armoured personnel carriers were being used to provide protective transport for visitors to the Indonesian Army Headquarters in Lhokseumawe, Aceh. Our Defence Attaché in Jakarta took the matter up immediately with the Indonesian authorities. He expressed concern that this was in breach of Indonesian Government assurances that British built equipment would not be used in Aceh. They admitted that a mistake had been made and offered renewed assurances about the use of British built equipment in Indonesia. The Defence Attaché later confirmed that the Stormer vehicles had been removed from Aceh.