Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support the transition from SPIRE to LITE in relation to licence applications made to the Export Control Joint Unit.

The ‘apply for a SIEL’ service (Single Individual Export Licence) was launched on gov.uk on 17 September 2024, the first licence type introduced on our new export control platform, LITE.

To ease the transition for exporters, a suite of training videos, webinars, and frequently asked questions are available online. Live demonstrations are provided, supported by regular engagement with trade associations.

A dedicated helpline offers practical support, and users can flag technical issues.

Approximately 70% of SIEL applications are submitted via LITE, up from 33% in June, 2024. Reducing processing times for all applications remains a priority of ECJU.