Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what process is used to monitor the eventual destination of strategic equipment and arms sold to Saudi Arabia; and what recent discussions he has had with the government of Saudi Arabia on such sales.

The Government examines every export licence application on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated (EU and National) Export Licensing Criteria (available at the following link: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140325/wmstext/140325m0001.htm#14032566000018). We are satisfied that the currently extant licences for Saudi Arabia are compliant with this criteria.

Officials in our Embassy in Riyadh have regular contact with their Saudi counterparts about the sale of military and security equipment to the Kingdom.