Oral Answers to Questions

Rachel Hopkins Excerpts

Thursday 25th February 2021 Commons Chamber

[Cat Smith (Lancaster and Fleetwood) (Lab)]

What recent discussions she has had with UK trade partners on inserting clauses on human rights in future trade deals.

[Rachel Hopkins (Luton South) (Lab)]

What recent discussions she has had with UK trade partners on inserting clauses on human rights in future trade deals.

[Imran Hussain (Bradford East) (Lab)]

What recent discussions she has had with UK trade partners on inserting clauses on human rights in future trade deals.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Jayawardena]

We have a rigorous arms export control system in this country, one of the best in the world, and no arms will be exported that are inconsistent with the consolidated criteria, which were introduced in 2014.

[Rachel Hopkins [V]]

I just want to press the Minister on the issues raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster and Fleetwood (Cat Smith). Last September, the UN said that Saudi airstrikes in Yemen had led to a consistent pattern of harm to civilians, unlike our own Government who said in July that there was no such pattern and that it was therefore lawful to resume arms exports. Can the Minister of State explain how his Department looked at exactly the same evidence as the UN and reached an entirely different conclusion?

[Mr Jayawardena]

We rely on a range of information from across Government, non-governmental organisations and elsewhere and we will always make sure that all of that evidence is properly considered before any arms are exported anywhere in the world.