Written question asked by Catherine West (Labour) on Friday, 9 October 2015, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 13 October 2015. It was answered by Michael Fallon (Conservative) on Monday, 19 October 2015 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Syria: Military Intervention

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the legal basis was for the RAF drone attack carried out in Syria on 21 August 2015; and if he will publish the original legal guidance on which the decision to carry out the attack was made.

Answer: The Prime Minister made clear that the Attorney General had advised that the action we took would be lawful in self-defence of the UK. By long-standing convention, reflected in the Cabinet Manual, the content of the Law Officers' advice is not disclosed outside government without the consent of the Law Officers. As the Attorney General explained in his oral evidence to the Justice Select Committee on 15 September 2015, the convention should be adhered to in this case.

Secondary information