The watchdog that scrutinises the UK’s arms exports has not been operating for six months, it has emerged – amid concerns that sales approved by the government are fuelling conflict and repression abroad.
Parliament’s Committee on Arms Export Control (CAEC) has not yet been reconstituted after being dissolved ahead of last year’s general election, meaning Britain’s arms exports are not facing the usual scrutiny.
It comes amid a pending Supreme Court case on arms exports to Saudi Arabia, and a call from MPs and human rights groups to stop selling rubber bullets and tear gas to the US for use against peaceful civil rights protesters.
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Britain is the second biggest arms exporter in the world and sells weapons to regimes with poor human rights records, despite government controls on the issuing of licences. But MPs warned they were being “kept in the dark” on the arms trade while campaigners said the lack of scrutiny from parliament would fuel abuses.
In a letter to Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg, Labour’s shadow minister for peace Fabian Hamilton said that “any government that is serious about ending the use of our weapons against innocent civilians abroad” would ensure the committee was up and running and had the powers it needed.
The committee currently has no chair or membership, and the currently highly bureaucratic procedure for getting it up and running requires the agreement of four other select committees.
The unusual system has caused problem before, with a nine-month gap in sittings in 2015 after the retirement of the then chair Sir John Stanley. That gap came at the height of the Saudi Arabian war in Yemen and delayed a committee investigation into the conflict.
“The Committee must be reformed as soon as possible. UK arms sales are having devastating consequences around the world. Time and again the government has shown that it cannot be trusted to follow its own rules. It has consistently prioritised arms company profits over human rights,” said Andrew Smith of Campaign Against the Arms Trade.
“Right now, the Saudi Air Force is using UK-made fighter jets to drop UK-made bombs over Yemen. Following last year’s Court of Appeal ruling we know that that these arms sales were illegal as well as being immoral. Similarly, we know that UK-made tear gas has been used in Hong Kong and exported to police forces across the US.
“This cannot be left another six months. Parliament must be able to effectively scrutinise arms sales and hold the government to account for its role in fuelling and enabling these abuses.”
Lisa Nandy, Labour’s shadow foreign secretary said: “It’s been six months since the General Election and the committee that scrutinises arms exports hasn’t yet been re-established. We’re calling on government to get it up and running with delay. Our weapons are our responsibility. We must not be kept in the dark any longer.”


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Kandy Freeman participates in a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, U.S. January 14, 2017.
Stephanie Keith/Reuters

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People participate in a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, U.S. January 14, 2017.
Stephanie Keith/Reuters

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Hawk Newsome, a Black Lives Matter activist, leads a protest outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017.
Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images

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Hawk Newsome (C) leads a chant during a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, US. January 14, 2017.
Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images

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People participate in a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, U.S. January 14, 2017.
Stephanie Keith/Reuters

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An NYPD officer speaks with a Black Lives Matter leaders during a protest in the snow outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017.
Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images

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Kandy Freeman participates in a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, U.S. January 14, 2017.
Stephanie Keith/Reuters

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An NYPD officer speaks with a Black Lives Matter leaders during a protest in the snow outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017.
Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images

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Carol Garza, a Black Lives Matter supporter, protests outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017.
Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images

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People participate in a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, U.S. January 14, 2017.
Stephanie Keith/Reuters

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A Black Lives Matter supporter protests in the snow outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017.
Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images

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Black Lives Matter activists march in front of Trump Tower on January 14, 2017 in New York City.
Kevin Hagen/Getty

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Black Lives Matter activists march in front of Trump Tower on January 14, 2017 in New York City.
Kevin Hagen/Getty

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Black Lives Matter supporters protest in the snow outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017.
Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images

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Black Lives Matter Kandy Freeman marches in front of Trump Tower on January 14, 2017 in New York City.
Kevin Hagen/Getty

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Kandy Freeman participates in a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, U.S. January 14, 2017.
Stephanie Keith/Reuters

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People participate in a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, U.S. January 14, 2017.
Stephanie Keith/Reuters

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Hawk Newsome, a Black Lives Matter activist, leads a protest outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017.
Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images

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Hawk Newsome (C) leads a chant during a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, US. January 14, 2017.
Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images

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People participate in a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, U.S. January 14, 2017.
Stephanie Keith/Reuters

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An NYPD officer speaks with a Black Lives Matter leaders during a protest in the snow outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017.
Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images

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Kandy Freeman participates in a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, U.S. January 14, 2017.
Stephanie Keith/Reuters

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An NYPD officer speaks with a Black Lives Matter leaders during a protest in the snow outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017.
Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images

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Carol Garza, a Black Lives Matter supporter, protests outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017.
Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images

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People participate in a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, U.S. January 14, 2017.
Stephanie Keith/Reuters

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A Black Lives Matter supporter protests in the snow outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017.
Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images

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Black Lives Matter activists march in front of Trump Tower on January 14, 2017 in New York City.
Kevin Hagen/Getty

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Black Lives Matter activists march in front of Trump Tower on January 14, 2017 in New York City.
Kevin Hagen/Getty

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Black Lives Matter supporters protest in the snow outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017.
Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images

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Black Lives Matter Kandy Freeman marches in front of Trump Tower on January 14, 2017 in New York City.
Kevin Hagen/Getty
Mr Hamilton’s letter said: “There are currently many conflicts being fought around the world in which Britain sells arms to one or more of the warring parties, including the ongoing conflict in Yemen.
“Furthermore, the Consolidating EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria states that ‘the government will not grant a licence if there is a clear risk that the items might be used for internal repression’. Consequently there is a mount and legitimate concern over a number of existing licences that could allow the potential use of British equipment – such as rubber bullets – in places like Hong Kong, the United States, and other destinations of concern. The CAEC needs to be allowed to scrutinise these licences at the earliest opportunity.”