Written question asked by Ann Clwyd (Labour) on Wednesday, 5 June 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 13 June 2002. It was answered by Nigel Griffiths (Labour) on Thursday, 13 June 2002 on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Dept of Trade and Industry

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what export licences have been granted since 2nd May 1997 for the export of components or sub-assemblies for the G3 rifle and MP5 sub-machine gun to Iran. - Including fact that information on export licences for particular rifles and machine guns are commercially confidential and exempt from disclosure under Part II, Section 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, and ref to 28 January 2998, 585 c273-4.

Answer: Ann Clwyd: :To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export licences have been granted since 2 May 1997 for the export of components or sub- assemblies for the G3 rifle and MP5 sub-machine gun to Iran. [60688] Nigel Griffiths: :The export of components and sub- assemblies for rifles and machine guns is controlled under entries ML1 and ML16 in Part III of Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended. Details of all relevant export licences including any for components or sub-assemblies for rifles and machine guns issued to Iran since 2 May 1997 are published in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls. Copies of the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Annual Reports are available in the Libraries of the House. The 2001 Annual Report will be published as soon as possible. Information on export licences for particular rifles and machine guns are commercially confidential and exempt from disclosure under Part II, Section 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. The Government's policy with respect to export licensing for Iran was set out in the reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester Central to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth on 28 January 1998, Official Report, columns 273-74.

Secondary information