Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 17 Jun 2020
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (Accession)

"An apposite time to make my contribution, Madam Deputy Speaker—thank you.

I have to stress that Scotland’s farmers are united in their concern about what they are losing from leaving the European Union rather than otherwise, however much breathless vacuity can be presented about the ambitions of these trade deals. …..."
Alyn Smith - View Speech

View all Alyn Smith (SNP - Stirling) contributions to the debate on: Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (Accession)

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Written Question

Arms Trade: Human Rights

Thursday 5th March 2020

Asked by: Alyn Smith (Scottish National Party - Stirling)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking to ensure that UK-exported weapons are not used in attacks that breach international (a) humanitarian and (b) human rights law.

Answered by Greg Hands

Weapons exported from the UK require an export licence. All export licence applications are considered on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (known as the Consolidated Criteria), based on the most up-to-date information and analysis available, including reports from NGOs and our overseas network. The Consolidated Criteria provides a thorough risk assessment framework and requires us to assess the impact of providing equipment and its capabilities.

Licensing decisions take into account international humanitarian and human rights law. We will not issue any export licences where we assess there is a clear risk that the goods might be used for internal repression or in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

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