Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Ranil Jayawardena and Kim Johnson

Thursday 15th April 2021 Commons Chamber

[Kim Johnson (Liverpool, Riverside) (Lab)]

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that arms exported from the UK are not deployed in contravention of international humanitarian law.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Trade (Mr Ranil Jayawardena)]

All arms exports require an export licence. I can assure the House that we take our export control responsibilities very seriously. We rigorously assess every application on a case-by-case basis against the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria, taking advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Ministry of Defence. We will not issue an export licence where to do so would be inconsistent with the consolidated criteria, including where there is a clear risk that the items might be used for a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

[Kim Johnson [V]]

The Yemeni community in Liverpool would like to know how the Minister can possibly justify the decision of his Department to increase its sales of bombs and missiles for use in Yemen to new record highs, while his friends at the Foreign Office are simultaneously cutting the amount of humanitarian aid going to starving Yemeni children. Does he accept that this is not just wrong, but downright immoral?

[Mr Jayawardena]

Not only are Her Majesty’s Government one of the biggest donors of aid around the world, including to Yemen, but as was set out in the Secretary of State’s written statement, we have devised a clear and revised methodology to make sure we will only license such products if they are consistent with the consolidated criteria.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Ranil Jayawardena and Kim Johnson

Thursday 18th June 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Jayawardena]

I refer the hon. Lady to the answer that I have just given. We will continue to monitor developments closely. We will review where necessary. On the technical points that she refers to, I welcome her probing question. We believe that criterion 2 is very important. It addresses the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country of final destination, and that is something that Her Majesty’s Government will certainly bear in mind as we review situations in the United States or elsewhere.

[Kim Johnson (Liverpool, Riverside) (Lab)]

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