Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether it is his policy to oppose the use of phosphorous munitions.

It is not UK policy to advocate for an international ban on the use of white phosphorous. White phosphorous is an obscurant with legitimate military uses, such as in smoke grenades, decoy and countermeasure equipment and signalling flares. However, as is the case with any military hardware, all parties to an armed conflict must ensure that their conduct and use of such materials complies with International Humanitarian Law.