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Arms Export Controls

The Government rigorously assess all licence applications for exports to China and other countries, and we have no reason to believe that any of our decisions have been wrong, so no case could be made for a review. Many hon. Members have rightly taken a strong and close interest in defence exports to Israel, which is entirely understandable, given what happened in Gaza recently. I can only repeat what ministerial colleagues have said many times before: the licensing criteria must be the basis of all our decisions. If issuing a licence would be inconsistent with those criteria, the licence will be refused. That policy has remained constant over many years—it has not changed because it has not needed to. However, the circumstances to which the risk assessments are applied do change. As the Committee knows, the circumstances at the time of the application are taken fully into account when decisions are made. Not all licences granted for exports to Israel are for equipment that will remain there. Many involve equipment for incorporation into larger equipment and onward export to a third country. Also, many are for dual use rather than military items. Overseas posts have standing instructions to report any misuse of UK-supplied equipment, and should any relevant information come to light, whether through the media, non-governmental organisations or intelligence reports, it will be taken into account when assessing future licences. Those issues might also be raised with the authorities in the country in question. Hon. Members will be aware that the FCO will shortly make a statement, and on 4 March, the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the hon. Member for Harlow (Bill Rammell), appeared before the Committee. What he said then remains our position.