Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, what discussions she has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) the Government of South Africa on (i) the Supreme Court judgment of 8 May 2024 in Argentum Exploration Ltd v Republic of South Africa [2024] UKSC 16 and (ii) the silver cargo in that case.

I have not had any discussions with the Government of South Africa on this legal case.

With respect to discussions with Cabinet colleagues, the Law Officers’ Convention requires that it is not generally disclosed outside Government whether I have been asked to provide advice or the contents of any such advice. This is a long-standing principle of Cabinet collective agreement which enables the government of the day to obtain frank and full legal advice in confidence.