Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for his policies of the UN expert panel report which stated that British-made laser guidance missile systems were found at an air raid site in Yemen in a strike that breached international humanitarian law; and whether his Department plans to appeal the Court of Appeal ruling of 20 June 2019 on the application of Campaign Against Arms Trade.

The Government will take account of this report and other relevant evidence, information and reporting in making any decisions on the export licensing position under Criterion 2c of the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. The Government will not grant a licence if there is a clear risk that the items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

The Secretary of State has submitted a Notice of Appeal to the Supreme Court in respect of the Court of Appeal’s judgement of 20 June 2019. Without prejudice to this, work is underway on the process for retaking licensing decisions in accordance with the Order of the Court of Appeal of 20 June 2019.