To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills at what level of approval the final decision to grant an export licence of sodium fluoride and potassium fluoride to Syria in January 2012 was made.

All export licensing decisions are taken within a framework agreed by Ministers. Applications are assessed against the Consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria, taking into account all relevant factors, including the prevailing circumstances in the recipient country, the nature of the goods, the identity of the end-user and the stated end-use. The specific decisions to approve export licences of sodium fluoride and potassium fluoride to Syria were taken on 17 and 18 January 2012 by officials in the export control organisation within BIS, on the basis of advice from other Government Departments.