Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many export licences they have granted which approved the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia in 2019.

Licensing data is published as Official Statistics on GOV.UK. The data currently provides details of licences up to 31 March 2019 and this shows that 50 licence applications for military items have been approved.

Information about the period 1 April to 30 June will be published on 15 October 2019 and data covering the period 1 July 2019 to 30 September 2019 will be published in January 2020.

Licensing decisions about transfers to Saudi Arabia of items which may be used in the conflict in Yemen have been subject to judicial review. Under the Court of Appeal judgment of 20 June 2019 my Rt. Hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade was remitted to reconsider these decisions. Until such time the Government will not grant new licences to export items to Saudi Arabia or its coalition partners for possible use in Yemen.

All export licences are issued in strict accordance with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria.