Skip to main content
Banner image for Ross Thomson

Ross Thomson

Former Conservative MP for Aberdeen South
Site logo

Main navigation

  • Home
  • About Ross Thomson
  • News
  • Parliament
  • My Responses to Topical Emails
  • Ross' Campaigns

Opinion - Arms Sales

  • Tweet
Tuesday, 27 August, 2019
blue tie

Saudi Arabia remains a human rights priority country for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, particularly because of the use of the death penalty, women's rights and restrictions on freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of religion or belief. It is right that the UK Government raises its concerns with the Saudi Arabian authorities using a range of Ministerial and diplomatic channels of communication, including its Ambassador and the Embassy team in Riyadh.

Following the Court of Appeal judgement in a Judicial Review into the UK Government's decision-making process for granting export licences to Saudi Arabia, new licenses will not be issued to Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners for the sale of arms destined for use in the conflict in Yemen. I understand the UK Government is currently considering the implications of the Judicial Review. The judgement is not about whether the UK Government has made the right decisions in granting export licences but concerns the rationality of the process used to reach those decisions.

The Government takes its defence export responsibilities extremely seriously and operates one of the most robust export control regimes in the world. All export licence applications, including those for Saudi Arabia are rigorously assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria.

These strict criteria take account of all prevailing circumstances at the time of application and includes human rights and international humanitarian law considerations. The Government does not issue export licences where there is a clear risk that the goods might be used for internal repression, in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law, or where the export would provoke or prolong conflict.

In February, the former Prime Minister announced new UK aid worth £200 million to help millions of people at risk of starvation in Yemen, bringing the total that the UK has committed since the start of the four-year conflict to £770 million.

There can be no military solution to this conflict. A political settlement is the only way to provide long term stability to Yemen and address the worsening humanitarian crisis; and I know that Ministers are encouraging further constructive engagement from both parties to achieve this.

The Foreign Secretary recently hosted a meeting of the Quad nations in London. At the meeting, the Quad nations (the UK, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the US) underlined their commitment to a comprehensive political solution for the conflict in Yemen and endorsed the agreements reached in Stockholm at the end of last year. 

I can assure you that I will continue to follow developments very closely, and engage with Ministers.

  • Opinions

You may also be interested in

Parliament

My Responses to Topical Emails

During my time as an MP, I received a large number of identical emails which were often sent from campaign organisations.

loan charge

Ross Hands Loan Charge Petition to Prime Minister and Chancellor

Tuesday, 10 September, 2019

Ross handed in the Loan Charge petition to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and the Chancellor, Sajid Javid. The petition gathered 8,294 signatures calling for a review of the 2019 Loan Charge and for it to be suspended. 

Show only

  • Articles
  • Local News
  • Media
  • Opinions
  • Speeches in Parliament
  • Westminster News
  • Written Questions News

Ross Thomson Former MP for Aberdeen South

Footer

  • About RSS
  • Accessibility
  • Cookies
  • Privacy
  • About Ross Thomson
  • In Parliament
Site logoPromoted by Simon Turner on behalf of Ross Thomson, both of 2 West Mount Street, Aberdeen, AB25 2RJ
Copyright 2021 Ross Thomson Former MP for Aberdeen South. All rights reserved.
Powered by Bluetree