HC Deb 13 November 2003 vol 413 cc401-2W
Jeremy Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the arms export licences applied for, and her decision on each, for export of arms to Morocco in each of the past five years; and what her policy is towards such applications. [136512]

Nigel Griffiths

Details of all relevant export licences issued and refused are published by destination in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls, copies of which are available from the Libraries of the House. For the period between 1 January 2003 and 31 October 2003 details are set out in the tables, as the 2003 Annual Report is not due for publication until next year:

Three Standard Individual Export licences (SIELS) were issued to end users in Morocco in that period. The export licences covered a range of items with various ratings, are set out as follows.

Rating Item
ML1 3
ML2 18
ML3 1
ML5 1
ML22 8
PL5017 2
S1P1 2

Four Open Individual Export Licences (OIELS) were issued to end users in Morocco in that period. The export licences covered a range of items with various ratings, are set out as follows:

Rating Item
ML1 2
ML2 4
ML5 1
ML9 1
ML13 2
ML22 1
PL5001 1

As with all export licence applications, all applications received for the export of arms to Morocco, are rigorously assessed on a case-by-case basis against the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria in the light of circumstances prevailing at the time, taking account of other previously announced Government policies.

Mr. Drew

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what checks are in place to ensure that licensed strategic exports of arms to Morocco do not get used in the Western Sahara. [136726]

Mr. MacShane

When assessing strategic export licence applications to Morocco, the Government carefully consider the risk that the goods may be used in the Western Sahara.

The criteria that we use to assess all strategic export licence applications specifically set out our commitment to take account of the risk of the goods being used aggressively against another country or being used to assert by force a territorial claim. We do not issue any export licences where a clear risk of such use exists. We use information, from a variety of sources, to monitor the use of UK-origin defence equipment overseas. We take very seriously any reports of misuse.