Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, whether she has provided legal advice on British nationals serving in the Israel Defence Forces in Gaza since October 2023.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Law Officers’ Convention applies to advice which may or may not have been given by, or requested of, the Law Officers. The Convention applies to your question.
It can be found at paragraph 21.27 of Erskine May: “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 [5.14] of the Ministerial Code [updated on 6 November 2024]. The purpose of this convention is to enable the Government to obtain frank and full legal advice in confidence.”
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, whether her Department has (a) received and (b) approved requests from relevant authorities for consent to launch criminal investigations into alleged war crimes committed by British citizens who have served in the Israel Defence Forces in Gaza since 2023.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Attorney General and I are not responsible for providing consent to launch criminal investigations into suspected war crimes offences in England and Wales.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, what information her Department (a) collects and (b) holds on British citizens that have served in the Israel Defence Forces since 2023.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
In relation to part (a) of your question, the Attorney General’s Office does not collect this information.
In relation to part (b) of your question, the Law Officers’ Convention applies. The Convention applies to advice which may or may not have been given by, or requested of, the Law Officers. It can be found at paragraph 21.27 of Erskine May:
“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 [5.14] of the Ministerial Code [updated on 6 November 2024]. The purpose of this convention is to enable the Government to obtain frank and full legal advice in confidence.”