Written question asked by Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party) on Wednesday, 18 October 2023, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 20 October 2023. It was answered by Leo Docherty (Conservative) on Thursday, 26 October 2023 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Restraint Equipment: Trade

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, entitled A/78/324: Thematic study on the global trade in weapons, equipment and devices used by law enforcement and other public authorities that are capable of inflicting torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, published by the United Nations Human Rights Office on 24 August 2023; and whether he has had discussions with his international counterparts in the UN on establishing a treaty to regulate the trade in such weapons, equipment and devices.

Answer: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Secondary information