To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the value of United Kingdom arms sales to
Israel in the last 12 months, including cryptographic equipment; and what assessment
they have made of the use of such arms for internal repression or external aggression.
<p> </p><p>In general the Department holds information only about the value of goods
licensed for export, not about the value of sales.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In
2013, the UK granted a total of 178 Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) for
military-rated goods with a value of £10,011,169.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Cryptographic
equipment and software are dual-use items and the vast majority are for civil end
use – they are not arms. In 2013 we granted 88 SIELs for cryptographic equipment,
software, and related components. The vast majority of the value of these related
to one licence, for electronic components and circuit boards which are specifically
designed for building mobile phone networks for public use. They do not meet military
specifications and they are not suitable for building military communications equipment.
The end-user is a commercial stockist and distributor of electronic components and
equipment. Given the nature of the equipment and intended end-use we do not have any
concerns that the goods might be diverted for military end-use.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p>All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against
the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria in light of the prevailing
circumstances. The Government announced the findings of its review of licensed exports
to Israel on 12 August.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that the European Union decision
in 2010 to remove trade concessions from Sri Lanka pending the government of that
country improving its human rights record has created a precedent for other countries.
<p>In 2010 some trade preferences, known as GSP+, were removed from Sri Lanka by the
European Union following investigations and reports which found significant shortcomings
in respect of Sri Lanka’s implementation of three human rights conventions. Sri Lanka
continues to receive beneficial but less generous trade preferences from the EU under
the ‘standard’ GSP scheme.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As was the case for Sri Lanka,
any decision for the EU to remove GSP+ preferences from a country is based on the
objective criteria and following the process established in the GSP Regulation as
agreed by European Member States and the European Parliament.</p><p> </p>
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Livingston
of Parkhead on 18 August (HL1576) on British military exports to Israel, whether they
will clarify the uses of components for combat aircraft, drones, targeting equipment,
military radar, weapon night sights, anti-armour ammunition, sniper rifles and high
powered radio frequency weapons systems; and whether those components constitute a
particular weapon or system being used for internal repression or external aggression
as specified in the Export Control Act 2002.
<p>The Government’s review of extant export licences for Israel, the results of which
were announced on 12 August, found that the vast majority of licences are not for
items that could be used by Israeli forces in operations in Gaza. However the review
did identify 12 licences for components which could be part of equipment used by Israeli
Defence Forces in Gaza. These licences include components for combat aircraft, components
for military radars, and components for targeting equipment. The Government will suspend
these licences in the event of a resumption of significant hostilities.</p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p>The majority of the remaining licences are for components to be incorporated
into other equipment for onward supply to third countries, for test or demonstration
purposes, or for hunting and sports shooting.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government
is currently conducting a further review of licences for Israel. The outcome of the
review will be announced in due course.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>