Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it is the Government's policy to support a legally binding instrument on lethal autonomous weapons; and what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the UN 6th review Conference of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons held in December 2021.

The UK does not support calls for a specific legally binding instrument on lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS). International Humanitarian Law already provides a robust, principle-based framework for the regulation of weapons development and use.

The UN Group of Governmental Experts on LAWS remains the appropriate forum to address the challenges associated with the use of autonomy in weapons systems - we were pleased that the Review Conference renewed its mandate. The UK will continue to play an active role in it, working with the international community to agree norms and positive obligations to ensure the safe and responsible use of autonomy.