Asked by: Lord Bishop of Worcester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that UK-manufactured weapons sold under export licences are not being used to commit or facilitate violations of international humanitarian law, as required by the Arms Trade Treaty.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK export licensing system is based on a thorough risk-assessment for the original export licence before the goods leave the UK.
We rigorously assess every application on a case-by-case basis against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria (the SELC), which is one of the means by which we implement a range of international legal commitments including the Arms Trade Treaty.
The SELC provide a robust framework for export licence applications and require us to think hard about the impact of providing equipment and its capabilities. We will not license the export of equipment where to do so would be inconsistent with the SELC. These are not decisions we take lightly.
The Business and Trade Secretary is ultimately responsible for the decision to grant or refuse an export licence in any individual case. In exercising these powers, the Business and Trade Secretary always seeks and takes into account advice from other Government Departments (OGDs), including from the FCDO.