Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for the Government’s arms export licensing regime of the judgment in the recent case concerning the sale of F-35 components to Israel.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
In the judgment handed down on 30 June, the Divisional Court accepted the Government’s submission that the only way for the UK to ensure that components supplied from the UK to the global F-35 programme do not reach Israel is for it to suspend all exports into the programme, and that therefore this Government faced the blunt choice of exempting F-35 components from its decision to suspend certain exports of military equipment to Israel, or accepting significant consequences for national and international peace and security.
That decision was in line with the UK’s Strategic Export Licensing Criteria, which provide for the application to specific cases of specific measures as announced to Parliament. The Court acknowledged the F-35 decision was a such a specific measure in an exceptional case and its judgment reflects the rigour, care and thoroughness the Government applies to its export licensing decisions.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many (a) standard and (b) open export licences for the export of arms or military equipment to Israel were granted in each of the last five years.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
HM Government includes information on export licence outcomes as part of official statistics published on GOV.UK. The information sought can be found at gov.uk/government/collections/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data. Open Licences are also published online, including details on permitted countries and regions.
Additionally, detailed information on extant licences to Israel has been published up to 31 July 2025, and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/export-control-licensing-management-information-for-israel/israel-export-control-licensing-data-31-july-2025.
This Government suspended around 30 export licences to Israel in September 2024, and since that time has refused more than 40 further applications where it was assessed there was a clear risk the items might be used in military operations in Gaza.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to monitor the end-use of UK arms exports to Israel to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK’s approach to export licensing under the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria involves a rigorous risk assessment before a licence is issued. These checks consider the nature of the items, the end-users and proposed end uses, information on which is typically provided through signed End-User and Stockist Undertakings (EUSUs).
This Government has suspended export licences where it was assessed that items covered might be used in Gaza, as announced to Parliament on 2 September 2024.
It is an offence for an export licence applicant to knowingly make a statement which is false. Licences are also kept under close and ongoing review. We are able to suspend or revoke licences as necessary when circumstances require.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support the growth of (a) small and (b) medium-sized manufacturing businesses.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government will continue to support the advanced manufacturing sector, including SMEs, through our forthcoming Industrial Strategy, where advanced manufacturing has been selected as one of eight growth-driving sectors.
Support is available through our Made Smarter Programme where manufacturing SMEs will be able to adopt industrial digital technologies like robotics and autonomous systems to boost their productivity and competitiveness.
Later this year the government will publish its Small Business Strategy, including policies on creating thriving high streets, accessing finance, opening up overseas and domestic markets, building business capabilities, and providing a strong business environment.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of recent changes to National Insurance contributions on small manufacturing businesses.
Answered by Gareth Thomas
The Chancellor has decided to protect the smallest businesses, including in the manufacturing sector, by increasing the Employment Allowance to £10,500, and removing the £100,000 eligibility threshold, meaning all eligible employers benefit. This means that 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, more than half of employers will see no change or will gain overall from this package.