Written question asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Baroness Wilcox (Conservative) on Tuesday, 22 November 2011.

Surveillance: Telecommunications

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the statement by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on 8 November that ““The Government actively discourage all trade with Iran. We take any reports of exports being misused overseas seriously. It does not appear that the exporter has broken the law””, (a) what steps they took to discourage Creativity Software from trading with Iran, and when; (b) what consideration they have given to reports detailing the use of British exports in Iran; (c) which Ministers were involved in that consideration; (d) whether the Government's Law Officers were consulted in determining whether the law had been broken; and (e) whether they intend to ban Creativity Software from further exports of telephone intercept equipment to Iran.

Answer: Surveillance equipment, including telephone intercept equipment, covers a wide variety of equipment and software that is generally not controlled in view of the legitimate commercial applications for which it can be used. Creativity Software is under no obligation to apply for export licences unless the equipment is controlled. In those circumstances, these applications are considered on a case-by-case basis against the consolidated EU and UK export licensing criteria in the light of prevailing circumstances and paying particular attention to allegations of human right abuses. The UK will not issue licences where we judge there is a clear risk that the proposed export might be used to facilitate internal repression.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 13224; 732 c234-5WA
Session: 2010-12
Related items: Surveillance: Telecommunications
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: Electronic surveillance Exports Iran Creativity Software
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk