Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 3 September (HL Deb col 1065), whether ministers were required to suspend certain export licences for items that could be used in the current conflict in Gaza.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

I addressed this in the House of Lords on 16 October reiterating our position. The UK's Strategic Export Licensing Criteria state that the Government will not issue an export licence if it determines there is "a clear risk" that the items might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law. On 2 September, following a review of Israel's compliance with and commitment to international humanitarian law, the Government determined that there was "a clear risk", and took the decision that the UK would suspend relevant arms export licences to Israel which could be used for military operations in Gaza. The suspension will not change the UK's support for Israel's right to self-defence in accordance with international law. The decision will be kept under review.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the advice of the Attorney General on arms exports to Israel required certain export licences to be suspended.

Answered by Lord Hermer - Attorney General

Paragraph 21.27 of Erskine May states:

“By long-standing convention, observed by successive Governments, the fact of, and substance of advice from, the law officers of the Crown is not disclosed outside government. This convention is referred to in paragraph 2.13 of the Ministerial Code. The purpose of this convention is to enable the Government to obtain frank and full legal advice in confidence.”

This is known as the Law Officers’ Convention and it applies to your question.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Point of Order of the Rt hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield of 8 October 2024, Official Report, column 163, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of 6 September 2024 from Lord Howard of Lympne.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are grateful to the Honourable member for bringing this matter to our attention. We apologise for the delay. A response will be issued in due course.