APPENDIX 8
Memorandum submitted by Dince Hill (Holdings)
Limited
I refer to your letter of 2 February regarding
the current system of application and appeal for export licences,
and wish to make the following comments.
The Company is a Defence Contractor and applies
for between 60 and 70 licences annually. In the past four years
six licences have been, or appear to have been refused. Five of
these have been for export to Sri Lanka, the other, Indonesia
for a tool kit.
The pattern for refusal is consistent. Nothing
is heard of our application for many weeks. When a refusal notice
is received, an appeal is made and nothing is ever heard of the
matter again. I know this seems extraordinary, yet it is our experience.
I am aware that the DTI have stated that we will be informed of
the result of an appeal within 30 days. The DTI have also claimed
that export licence applications will be processed within 20 days.
We have yet to benefit from either of these procedures.
I attach copies of correspondence regarding
three of the above cases[3]
together with a copy of a letter written to The Right Honourable
Margaret Beckett on this subject. I received neither acknowledgement
nor reply.
We have dealt with the DTI Export Licensing
for more than 25 years.
The DTI usually explain that the Advisors are
responsible for delay, the whole process is shrouded in a cloak
of official secrecy. I cannot understand the criteria upon which
some items are allowed and others refused. When we appeal we do
not know to whom we are appealing, when the appeal may be heard,
or whether the official who originally made the decision is the
same as he who considers the appeal.
We suggest a system whereby applicants can be
granted appointments to see the official responsible if no decision
has been reached three months after application.
A system where the applicant may be present
at Appeals.
9 February 2000
Letter from Dince Hill (Holdings) Limited
to The President of the Board of Trade, Department of Trade and
Industry
We are concerned at the increasing delay in
the issuance of Export Licences, in particular for Sri Lanka.
A list of our outstanding applications are attached and goes back
to October 1996.
We speak to the staff at Export Licensing, who
are most patient and courteous. The decisions in these matters,
I understand, lie with "The Advisors". These are delicate
and sensitive characters who are rarely seen in the light of day.
They can be approached only when the moon is in the correct position
and then if the wind is blowing in the right direction. One would
like to imagine them in solemn conclave meditating for six months
or so on the chances of the Sri Lanka Shooting Team without ammunition,
(our application reference 1B533679), the likelihood of the correct
people being rescued, (our application reference 1A 530799) or
whether our Indonesia Tool Kit will upset the balance of power,
(our application reference 527041).
Alas, I was once in Government Service myself
and suspect that all my applications are in a permanent pending
tray. The matters under review are, as always, promotion, leave
and the apportionment of responsibility.
No answer is worse than a refusal. Our customers
are getting more querulous. In these difficult days orders are
hard to come by.
I would be most grateful for any assistance
you can give to obtain early decision.
David Ledger
Director
15 July 1997
ORDERS PENDING EXPORT LICENCES
| Our ref | Your ref
| Licence application date | DTI ref
| Value of goods | Goods ready for despatch
| Remarks |
| 277/809 | LA/SI/D/FFH/159 |
30/10/96 | 525573 | ***
| Yes | 5.56 Rifle Spares |
| 277/824 | OPS/OIB/703/96 |
10/03/97 | 1B/530327 | ***
| Nearly | 7.62 GPMG Spares |
| 277/828 | OPS/OIB/704/96 |
28/04/97 | 531997 | ***
| Partly | T56 LMG Spares |
| 277/832 | OPS/OIB/715/96 |
07/11/96 | 1A/525945 | ***
| Yes | 60mm Mortar Spares |
| 277/859 | Y-6075 | 11/03/97
| Unknown | *** | Yes
| .45 ACP Ammo |
| 277/1044 | STF/L/D/46/96LC |
04/12/96 | Unknown | ***
| Under prod | 12.7 Machine Guns and Access
|
| 277/1173 | SB/398/122/53H |
31/01/97 | 1A/528912 | ***
| Ready | 81mm Mortar Extractors
|
| 277/1236 | Z-60021 | 25/03/97
| 1A/530799 | *** | Pending
| Signal Distress |
| 277/1238 | Z-60020 | 01/04/97
| 530949 | *** | Ready
| T56 Magazines |
| 277/1324 | SLAF/Z-60027/97 |
20/06/97 | 533679 | ***
| Eley | .22 Eley Ammo and 12 Bore Carts
|
| 277/1353 | OPS/OIB/843/97 |
02/06/97 | 533193 | ***
| | Ruger Revolver |
| 669/1 | | 05/12/96
| 527041 | *** | Ready
| Tool Kits for M16A1 |
| 344/53 | | 20/05/97
| 532817 | *** | Ready
| Remington Shotguns |
3
Not printed. Back
| 
