Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the threat to UK interests of the development of virtual autonomous weapons systems across the world; and what part effective international regulation could play in controlling the development of such systems.

The Government of the United Kingdom does not possess fully autonomous weapon systems and have no intention of developing them. Such systems are not yet in existence and are not likely to be for many years, if at all. The UK believes that international law, in particular, international humanitarian law, remains the correct framework for governing the use of all weapons systems, including fully autonomous ones.