Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 3 September (HL Deb col 1065), whether ministers were required to suspend certain export licences for items that could be used in the current conflict in Gaza.

I addressed this in the House of Lords on 16 October reiterating our position. The UK's Strategic Export Licensing Criteria state that the Government will not issue an export licence if it determines there is "a clear risk" that the items might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law. On 2 September, following a review of Israel's compliance with and commitment to international humanitarian law, the Government determined that there was "a clear risk", and took the decision that the UK would suspend relevant arms export licences to Israel which could be used for military operations in Gaza. The suspension will not change the UK's support for Israel's right to self-defence in accordance with international law. The decision will be kept under review.