Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to the UK's gender-based violence commitments under the Arms Trade Treaty, what due diligence his Department has carried out on the use of its (a) arms and (b) other military equipment.

The Government takes its strategic export control responsibilities very seriously. We examine each export licence application for arms and military equipment on a case-by-case basis against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. Consideration for the UK's gender-based violence commitments under the Arms Trade Treaty are outlined in Criteria 2, 3, 4 and 6. We draw on a range of sources in making assessments, including NGOs and international organisations, our diplomatic posts and reports from our overseas networks. The Government will not grant an export licence if to do so would be inconsistent with the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria.