Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to support the formulation of United Nations guidance on the application of human rights law to drone use.

The Government believes that international law on the use of military force is absolutely clear. There must be a lawful basis for such force to be used and activities must be conducted in accordance with the law of war or international humanitarian law. This is as true when considering the possible use of remotely piloted aircraft systems as it is with any other military asset or weapon. Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems are a relatively new military asset, and their use, whether armed or unarmed, will continue to evolve. However, the existing international legal framework is clear and robust; and, as with any other weapons system, it is fully capable of governing their use. We do not need to rewrite the laws of war in order to be confident that, when used in such lawful circumstances, remotely piloted aircraft systems operate in the same legal environment as other military means. We have set this position out previously including at the UN Human Rights Council in response to the report of the Special Rapporteur.