Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies on the supply of arms to countries in Central Africa of reports on the activities of the March 23 Movement.

HM Government takes its arms export responsibilities very seriously and rigorously assesses every export licence application on a case-by-case basis against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. These Criteria are one of the means by which we implement a range of international legal commitments including United Nations sanctions.

HM Government will not grant a licence for items where we determine there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate internal repression, or where we determine there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law. We also do not license items where we determine there is a clear risk that the items would, overall, undermine peace and security, including internal peace and security.

Licensing decisions are based on the most up-to-date information and analysis available at the time and all licences are kept under careful and continual review as standard.

The UK condemns recent atrocities committed by armed group March 23 Movement (M23) in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.