The petition of residents of Linlithgow and East Falkirk,
Declares that the government’s sale of arms to Israel is unacceptable, as there is substantial evidence that these arms are being used to kill innocent civilians in Gaza; further declares that this is in direct breach of the UK arms export policy, which states that the licences cannot be granted if there is a “clear risk” the arms might be used in a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
The petitioners therefore request the House of Commons to urge the Government to suspend all arms transfers to Israel including weapons, arms, munition and ammunition, parts and components and other equipment that pose a substantial risk that they could be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law in this conflict.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Martyn Day, Official Report, 31 January 2024; Vol. 744, c. 954.]
[P002909]
Observations from the Minister for Trade Policy (Greg Hands):
The Government take their export control responsibilities very seriously and operate one of the most robust and transparent export control regimes in the world. The Government assess every application on a case-by-case basis.
Since October 2022, CPI has already more than halved, from 11.1% to 4.0%. This is stabilising the financial situation for many families, and the Office for Budget Responsibility expects that by the fourth quarter of 2024—October-December—CPI will have fallen to 1.4%.
In the meantime, some people will need further, targeted help to get back to a stable financial position.
That is why the Government are providing an additional £500 million to enable the extension of the household support fund, including funding for the devolved Administrations through the Barnett formula, to be spent at their discretion. This means that local authorities in England will receive an additional £421 million to support those in need locally through the household support fund.
The funding will be available to local authorities in England from 1 April 2024 and will run until 30 September 2024.
The guidance and individual local authority allocations for this forthcoming extension will be announced as soon as possible ahead of the scheme beginning on 1 April 2024.