Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will take steps to limit arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

The Government takes its export control responsibilities very seriously and our processes have been subject to judicial scrutiny.

Export licence applications are carefully assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. A licence would not be granted if to do so was inconsistent with the Criteria. The policy remains as announced to parliament in a Written Ministerial Statement on 25 March 2014: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140325/wmstext/140325m0001.htm#14032566000018.

The key test for the Government for our continued military exports to Saudi Arabia in relation to International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is whether there is a clear risk that those items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of IHL. The situation is kept under careful and continual review.