Committees on Arms ExportsLetter to the Chair of the Committees from Rt Hon William Hague MP, First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
At the CAEC Evidence Session on 7 February I undertook to write with further information about the type of equipment which is being exported to Yemen and Bahrain.
I enclose lists of all the types of licences which have been approved and refused for both Countries in 2011. All applications are assessed carefully against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. As you will see from the lists we will only export equipment if we are satisfied that it will not be used for internal repression, taking into account the equipment and specified end user.
I have included information for the whole of 2011 in order to ensure that the Committees have as full a picture as possible and in view of your request to receive this information quickly. I believe this will best answer your question, but ask that you bear in mind the fact that BIS have not yet completed the normal process of rigorously checking the data for the fourth quarter of the year.
Annex
Export Licences for Bahrain in 2011
Three SIELs for Bahrain were refused in 2011 for:
communications equipment;
components for armoured personnel carriers; and
anti-riot/ballistic shields.
These applications were refused due to concerns that the goods could be used for internal repression (Criterion 2 of the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria).
Equipment Licensed for Export to Bahrain in 2011
SIELs approved in 2011
Dual Use Items
corrosion resistant chemical manufacturing equipment for civil end use;
communications equipment for civil end use;
communications equipment for Government end use (to be used as a telecommunications system between two buildings and for internet connectivity);
inertial equipment for mapping civil end use;
NBC detection equipment for chemical agent detection for the Government;
air traffic control software for civil aviation authorities;
toxin test kit for the detection of toxins in food samples for civil end use; and
x-ray accelerators for border control screening purposes.
Military Rated Goods
military aircraft ground crew breathing equipment, engines and components for Hawk aircraft for use by the Government;
body armour for personal use by a named individual;
small quantities of small arms ammunition, guns, rifles and silencers for sporting shooting and vermin control;
military radars for Government end use;
artillery and equipment for naval or coastal use by the Government; and
non-lethal training hand grenades for Government end use. They are designed as an aid to basic military training to produce a realistic loud report and a bright flash. They are not designed for use in crowd control.
OIELs approved in 2011
Dual Use Items
inertial equipment for mapping for use on civil aircraft;
hydrophone arrays for the oil and gas industry;
corrosion resistant chemical manufacturing equipment for civil end use;
radioactive sources for civil end use.
Military Rated Goods
tyres and inner tubes for combat aircraft, combat helicopters, military surveillance aircraft, military training aircraft, military
transport aircraft, military utility aircraft military utility helicopters and tanker aircraft for Government end use;
engines for installation onto trainer and combat aircraft for Government end use;
military improvised explosive device disposal equipment and military utility vehicles for defusing devices for Government end use;
electronic warfare equipment for naval intelligence gathering, threat warning and naval surveillance for Government end use;
aircraft cannon to be used on aircraft for Government end use;
small arms ammunition for sporting shooting;
components for all wheel drive vehicles for the repair and replacement of parts for Government end use;
general naval vessel components for Government end use; and
communications equipment for temporary export to support sales.
No OIELs for Bahrain were rejected in 2011.
Since January 2011, 23 single licences and 18 open licences for Bahrain have been revoked.
Export Licences for Yemen in 2011
We receive very few export licence applications for Yemen. Equipment licensed for export in 2011:
SIELS approved in 2011 Dual Use Items
a portable chemical identifier returned after repair in the UK to be used by the security authorities in Yemen.
Military Rated Goods
body armour and one vehicle to be used by UN personnel;
armoured vehicle for use by the UN;
one engine for the C130 Hercules military transport aircraft used in Yemen to assist international partners.
Open Licences Approved
components for corrosion resistant chemical
manufacturing equipment to a civil end user.
Two SIELS for Yemen were refused in 2011 for:
body armour
riot shields
These applications were refused due to concerns that the goods could be used for internal repression (Criterion 2 of the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria).
No export licences for Yemen were revoked in 2011.
28 February 2012