House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 14 Mar 2000 (pt 7)

EU (Cost of Living)

Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what response the Government have made to the report by Employment Conditions Abroad on the cost of living within European Union member states. [114080]

Mr. Alan Johnson: Many organisations regularly produce reports on price levels and the cost of living in different countries. While taking interest in these, the Government do not respond to them on an individual basis.

Correspondence

Mrs. Roe: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the hon. Member for Broxbourne will receive a reply to her letters of 21 September, 20 October, 17 November, 14 December, 11 January and 8 February relating to Mr. James Gardiner, a constituent. [113929]

Mr. Byers [holding answer 10 March 2000]: My Department has no record of any such correspondence being received from the hon. Lady. If she sends me copies of her letters I will ensure that the matter is dealt with promptly.

Export Licences

Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) which UK manufacturers are exempt from the requirement to provide end-user documentation in applying for export licences; and if he will make a statement; [114360]

Dr. Howells: In almost all circumstances, applications for a Standard Individual Export Licence (SIEL) must be supported by appropriate end-user documentation. Where the intended consignee is a Government body, and the application is not for a licence to export chemicals listed in Schedule 2 or 3 to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) to a state which has not ratified the CWC, a copy of the official Government purchase order or a copy of the relevant part of the Government contract covering the order is normally sufficient.

An Open Individual Export Licence (OIEL) is specific to an individual exporter and covers multiple shipments of specified goods to specified destinations and/or, in some cases, specified consignees. The exporter must obtain from each consignee an appropriate end-user undertaking for each export before the export takes place, or not later than one month after the date of exportation.

Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who was the intended recipient in (a) the Republic of Korea and (b) Singapore the military explosives or additives for which standard individual

14 Mar 2000 : Column: 123W

export licences were issued between 1 January 1999 and 21 January 2000; and if he will list the named exporter in each case. [114359]

Dr. Howells: The first of these licences was issued to Lancaster Synthesis Ltd. for the export of di-isopropylamine, N,N-diemethylhydrazine, triethyl phosphite and phosphorus pentachloride to Daejung Chemicals and Metals Ltd. in the Republic of Korea. The second of these licences was issued to Merck Ltd. for the export of zirconium powder to Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

The two licensees concerned were consulted and did not object to the disclosure of this information, which I am disclosing in accordance with the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Pakistan (Arms Sales)

Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list all arms sales to Pakistan, for which export licences have been applied for in the past year, together with the level of ECGD support provided and the costs to the British High Commissioner of promoting such sales. [113825]

Dr. Howells [holding answer 13 March 2000]: The entry in the relevant legislation under which the export of goods is controlled is known as their rating. The Export Control Organisation's computer databases have been interrogated and the following results were obtained. Between 1 January 1999 and 3 March 2000, 69 Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) and 18 Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs) were issued covering the export to consignees or end-users in Pakistan of goods subject to export control by being listed in Part III of Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, commonly known as the Military List. Individual licences may cover a range of goods with various ratings (and OIELs may also cover a range of countries). Where this is so, the licence is included in the table in the total for all of the relevant ratings.

Individual licences issued between 1 January 1999 and 3 March 2000 covering the export to Pakistan of goods on the Military List

Rating Number of SIELs issued covering goods with this rating Number of OIELs issued covering goods with this rating

ML1 1 0

ML2 1 0

ML3 1 0

ML4 4 1

ML5 3 1

ML6 5 1

ML9 8 5

ML10 11 4

ML11 7 5

ML13 0 1

ML15 1 0

ML18 1 1

ML22 2 2

PL5017 5 1

PL5033 0 1

End use 13 0

Rating	Number of SIELs issued covering goods with this rating	Number of OIELs issued covering goods with this rating
ML1	1	0
ML2	1	0
ML3	1	0
ML4	4	1
ML5	3	1
ML6	5	1
ML9	8	5
ML10	11	4
ML11	7	5
ML13	0	1
ML15	1	0
ML18	1	1
ML22	2	2
PL5017	5	1
PL5033	0	1
End use	13	0

This information does not cover any Media OIELs that may have been issued during this period. Media OIELs

14 Mar 2000 : Column: 124W

authorise the export to all destinations of protective clothing, mainly for the protection of aid agency workers and journalists when working in areas of conflict.

This information should be considered in light of the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingswood (Mr. Berry) on 27 July 1999, Official Report, columns 307-08W.

In addition, Pakistan is a permitted destination on certain Open General Export Licences, covering the export of goods on the Military List; copies of all Open General Export Licences valid at any time during the period are in the Library of the House.

As regards the level of ECGD support, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Trade and Industry on 8 February 2000, Official Report, column 122W.

Finally, as regards costs to the British High Commissioner of promoting defence sales, I understand this information is not compiled.

NTL/Cable and Wireless

Mr. Nigel Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the advice of the Director General of the Office of Fair Trading on the proposed acquisition by NTL of Cable and Wireless when he publishes the report of the Competition Commission on this case. [114576]

Dr. Howells: In line with current practice, I do not intend to publish the advice of the Director General of Fair Trading on the proposed acquisition by NTL Incorporated of the cable business of Cable and Wireless Communications plc. However the Office of Fair Trading are looking at ways of publishing, in the future, the Director General's advice on whether to refer key mergers to the Competition Commission.

Sub-post Offices

Mr. Ashdown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the number of sub-post offices which closed in the United Kingdom in 1999-2000; and if he will make a statement. [114165]

Mr. Alan Johnson: I understand from the Post Office that the number of sub-post office closures in their 1999-2000 financial year is not yet available. In the 1998-99 financial year, 232 sub-post offices closed.

NORTHERN IRELAND

RUC (Compensation Claims)

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what expenses have been incurred to date arising from compensation claims against the RUC in the last 10 years. [113436]

Mr. Ingram: The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

14 Mar 2000 : Column: 125W

News Releases

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the (a) national, (b) regional and (c) local newspapers and media bodies to which his Department sent news releases during the period 2 May 1997 to 29 February 2000. [113985]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 10 March 2000]: The information requested is as follows:

Breakdown of media press release distribution

National press

News London

David McKitterick

ITN

GMTV

Reuters

RTE

Sky News

BBC

Liam Clarke