Question

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.

In general the Department holds information only about the value of goods licensed for export, not about the value of sales.

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.

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.

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.