Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the detainment of human rights campaigners by Saudi authorities on the (a) UK-Saudi diplomatic relationship and (b) sale of British arms to that country.

The UK's relationship with Saudi Arabia is one of great importance, covering a broad range of UK national security and economic interests. Our close relationship with Saudi Arabia allows us to raise our concerns about human rights, including on human rights defenders, in private and in public. Saudi Arabia remains a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office human rights priority country. The Foreign Secretary, Lord Ahmad and I regularly discuss human rights concerns with the Saudi authorities, and the UK signed a statement at the UN Human Rights Council on 15 September noting our concerns in Saudi Arabia. The Government takes its export responsibilities seriously and assesses all export licences in accordance with strict licensing criteria. We will not issue any export licences where to do so would be inconsistent with these criteria.