West Papua
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South, Liberal Democrat)

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of UK-supplied military equipment currently deployed in West Papua; what guarantees he has from the Indonesian government concerning the use of UK-supplied military equipment in West Papua; what measures he has taken to ensure that UK-supplied equipment in West Papua is used in compliance with guarantees given by the Indonesian government; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson (Minister of State (Trade), Foreign & Commonwealth Office; Dudley South, Labour)

We are not aware of any UK-supplied equipment currently deployed in Papua. We have consistently made clear to the Indonesian authorities that no British-supplied equipment, or indeed any other equipment, should be used in any human rights abuses.

All export license applications for Indonesia are rigorously assessed on a case by case basis against the EU Consolidated Criteria taking account of the circumstances prevailing at the time. We no longer seek guarantees or assurances over and above these Criteria for the use of British built equipment. If a licence application is not consistent with these Criteria it stands to be refused. Assurances are not enforceable and cannot override the assessment of the application against the criteria.