Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they will make to the government of Saudi Arabia regarding the increased use of the death penalty in that country, particularly for non-lethal and political acts; and what plans they have, if any, to restrict the sale of arms and military technology in response.

Saudi Arabia remains a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office human rights priority country, in part because of the increased use of the death penalty. I [Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon] regularly raise the death penalty with the Saudi authorities, most recently on 11 March and during my visit to Saudi Arabia in February.

The UK Government takes its strategic export control responsibilities very seriously. We will not grant export licences if to do so would be inconsistent with the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria, including respect for human rights and international humanitarian law. All licences are kept under careful and continual review as standard.