Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to Written Statement of 8 December 2021, HCWS449 on Trade Policy Update, whether her Department has made an assessment of the impact of new licensing criteria on the likelihood of UK arms to be used in humanitarian contexts.

HM Government takes its arms export responsibilities seriously and assesses export licence applications in accordance with the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria.

These Criteria provide a thorough risk assessment framework for assessing export licence applications and require us to think hard about the impact of providing equipment and its capabilities. They maintain the high standards we and European partners share on internal repression, international humanitarian law and the upholding of international obligations more generally.

We will not license the export of equipment where to do so would be inconsistent with these Criteria.