To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many export licence applications are outstanding; and how many have been outstanding for more than (a) one month, (b) three months and (c) more than three months. [16320]

At 18 November, a decision had not yet been taken on 2,306 applications for new individual export licences received since 2 May 1997. These are broken down as follows:

	Applications received between 2 May 1997 and 17 August 1997	Applications received between 18 August 1997and 17 October 1997	Applications received between 18 October 1997and 18 November 1997
Standard individual export licences	447	835	869
Open individual export licences	75	54	26

However, this information should be considered in the light of my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) on 30 October 1997,