Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether reviews of export licenses for defence equipment for Israel excluding F-35 parts identified equipment used for military operations in (a) Gaza and (b) the West Bank between 1 July (i) 2024 and (ii) 2025.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Data for export licences are published by the Department for Business and Trade. The latest data on Israel export licences was published on 28 August 2025 and can be found at www.gov.uk/government/publications/export-control-licensing-management-information-for-israel/israel-export-control-licensing-data-31-july-2025.
All export licences are assessed on a case-by-case basis, based on the most up-to-date information and analysis available at the time. All licences for exports to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are kept under careful ongoing review to ensure they are not being used for military operations in Gaza or the West Bank. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) draws on information from a large variety of stakeholders, including our diplomatic network, other government departments, reporting from NGOs, international organisations and the media.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information he uses to review the use of export licenses for defence equipment for Israel excluding F-35 parts to ensure equipment is not used for military operations in (a) Gaza and (b) the West Bank.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Data for export licences are published by the Department for Business and Trade. The latest data on Israel export licences was published on 28 August 2025 and can be found at www.gov.uk/government/publications/export-control-licensing-management-information-for-israel/israel-export-control-licensing-data-31-july-2025.
All export licences are assessed on a case-by-case basis, based on the most up-to-date information and analysis available at the time. All licences for exports to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are kept under careful ongoing review to ensure they are not being used for military operations in Gaza or the West Bank. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) draws on information from a large variety of stakeholders, including our diplomatic network, other government departments, reporting from NGOs, international organisations and the media.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many live export licenses for defence equipment for Israel excluding F-35 parts were reviewed between (a) May and July 2025, (b) February and July 2025 and (c) July 2024 and July 2025 to ensure that equipment was not used for military operations in (i) Gaza and (ii) the West Bank.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Data for export licences are published by the Department for Business and Trade. The latest data on Israel export licences was published on 28 August 2025 and can be found at www.gov.uk/government/publications/export-control-licensing-management-information-for-israel/israel-export-control-licensing-data-31-july-2025.
All export licences are assessed on a case-by-case basis, based on the most up-to-date information and analysis available at the time. All licences for exports to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are kept under careful ongoing review to ensure they are not being used for military operations in Gaza or the West Bank. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) draws on information from a large variety of stakeholders, including our diplomatic network, other government departments, reporting from NGOs, international organisations and the media.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how often export licenses for defence-related equipment for Israel excluding F-35 parts are reassessed to ensure that equipment is not used for military operations in (a) Gaza and (b) the West Bank.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Data for export licences are published by the Department for Business and Trade. The latest data on Israel export licences was published on 28 August 2025 and can be found at www.gov.uk/government/publications/export-control-licensing-management-information-for-israel/israel-export-control-licensing-data-31-july-2025.
All export licences are assessed on a case-by-case basis, based on the most up-to-date information and analysis available at the time. All licences for exports to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are kept under careful ongoing review to ensure they are not being used for military operations in Gaza or the West Bank. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) draws on information from a large variety of stakeholders, including our diplomatic network, other government departments, reporting from NGOs, international organisations and the media.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what process is used to review export licenses for defence equipment for Israel excluding F-35 parts to ensure equipment is not used for military operations in (a) Gaza and (b) the West Bank.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Data for export licences are published by the Department for Business and Trade. The latest data on Israel export licences was published on 28 August 2025 and can be found at www.gov.uk/government/publications/export-control-licensing-management-information-for-israel/israel-export-control-licensing-data-31-july-2025.
All export licences are assessed on a case-by-case basis, based on the most up-to-date information and analysis available at the time. All licences for exports to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are kept under careful ongoing review to ensure they are not being used for military operations in Gaza or the West Bank. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) draws on information from a large variety of stakeholders, including our diplomatic network, other government departments, reporting from NGOs, international organisations and the media.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many export licenses are in place for defence-related equipment for Israel excluding F-35 parts.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Data for export licences are published by the Department for Business and Trade. The latest data on Israel export licences was published on 28 August 2025 and can be found at www.gov.uk/government/publications/export-control-licensing-management-information-for-israel/israel-export-control-licensing-data-31-july-2025.
All export licences are assessed on a case-by-case basis, based on the most up-to-date information and analysis available at the time. All licences for exports to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are kept under careful ongoing review to ensure they are not being used for military operations in Gaza or the West Bank. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) draws on information from a large variety of stakeholders, including our diplomatic network, other government departments, reporting from NGOs, international organisations and the media.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to (a) protect and (b) support the Druze minority in Syria.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are deeply concerned by the recent violence in Suwayda and welcome the announcement of a ceasefire. In diplomatic engagement with the Syrian Government and other partners, and as I said in my statement on X on 17 July, we have been clear that we want to see civilians protected, the ceasefire upheld, and those responsible held to account. We will continue to engage and support the Syrian Government on the protection of human rights and an inclusive and representative political transition.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the whether approved export licenses to Israel are being used for military purposes; and how often export licenses are reassessed.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are clear there are no export licences currently being used for military operations in Gaza or the West Bank. This is subject to the specific measures taken to protect the global F-35 programme. All licences are kept under careful and continual review as standard. We are able to suspend, refuse or revoke licences as circumstances require.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many times UK ambassadors have met Organisations of Persons with Disabilities in the past year.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds
We do not collect data on the engagement with organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) across the FCDO network of overseas Posts. However, Posts are encouraged to promote all equalities issues globally, including disability inclusion, and engage directly with OPDs regularly. Since the merger of FCO and DFID, a substantial new programme of capability building on how to do this has been established, including a 'how to note' on engaging with OPDs specifically.
Engagement is increasing but the FCDO has further to go. Recent examples include the Ambassador in Jakarta's meetings with OPDs and disability inclusion partners on at least four occasions over the last year; and the High Commissioner in Rwanda's meeting with a group of local OPD representatives to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities earlier this month.
The Minister for Development has also included meetings with OPDs where possible during her travel schedule, including meeting an organisation of women with disabilities in South Sudan, and visiting OPDs in South Sulawesi, Indonesia who are receiving technical assistance from the FCDO's Disability Capacity Building Programme.
We will launch a refreshed version of the FCDO's Inclusion and Rights Strategy at the Global Disability Summit in Berlin in April 2025. The voices and agency of people with disabilities will remain a core focus of the strategy and of our wider work on disability inclusion.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many and what proportion of UK Ambassadors have met with Organisations of Persons with Disabilities in the past year.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds
We do not collect data on the engagement with organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) across the FCDO network of overseas Posts. However, Posts are encouraged to promote all equalities issues globally, including disability inclusion, and engage directly with OPDs regularly. Since the merger of FCO and DFID, a substantial new programme of capability building on how to do this has been established, including a 'how to note' on engaging with OPDs specifically.
Engagement is increasing but the FCDO has further to go. Recent examples include: the Ambassador in Jakarta has met with OPDs and disability inclusion partners on at least four occasions over the last year; and the High Commissioner in Rwanda, who met a group of local OPD representatives to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities earlier this month.
I have also included meetings with OPDs where possible during my travel schedule, including meeting an organisation of women with disabilities in South Sudan, and visiting OPDs in South Sulawesi, Indonesia who are receiving technical assistance from the FCDO's Disability Capacity Building Programme.
We will launch a refreshed version of the FCDO's Inclusion and Rights Strategy at the Global Disability Summit in Berlin in April 2025. The voices and agency of people with disabilities will remain a core focus of the strategy and of our wider work on disability inclusion.