The Government operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world. All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU & National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (the 'Consolidated Criteria'), taking account of all relevant factors at the time of the application.<\/p>
The Consolidated Criteria were updated in March 2014 following the signing of the Arms Trade Treaty. Criterion 1(b) says that the Government will not grant a licence if to do so would be inconsistent with "the UK's obligations under the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty". Criterion 2(a) states that the Government will "not grant a licence if there is a clear risk that the items might be used for internal repression" and Criterion 2(c) states that 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".<\/p>
A licence will not be issued for any items, including those destined for an end user in Saudi Arabia, if to do so would be inconsistent with these Criteria. We welcome the Divisional Court's judgment of 10 July recognising the rigorous and robust processes we have in relation to decisions about exports to Saudi Arabia for possible use in the conflict in Yemen.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4306", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Goldie"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Goldie"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-07-17T16:53:34.567Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-07-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "Her Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to ensure that the requirements of the Arms Trade Treaty are fully implemented, including that the potential that arms could be used to commit war crimes and human rights violations is taken into account when arms exports decisions are being made; and how they are applying the Treaty provisions to Saudi Arabia, with particular reference to that state's activities in Yemen.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1660", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Judd"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Judd"} ], "uin" : "HL361"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 1, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }