MPs are to investigate the use of British arms in the conflict in Yemen in which thousands of civilians have been killed and millions left facing hunger.
The inquiry has been set up two weeks after members of the European Parliament called for an arms embargo against Saudi Arabia in response to its Yemen bombing campaign and amid mounting concern over the humanitarian situation in Yemen.
The probe is being carried out by a parliamentary watchdog on military equipment sales, the Commons’ Committees on Arms Export Controls (CAEC), which ceased work before last year’s general election and has been recently reconvened.
“We have launched this inquiry to understand what role UK-made arms are playing in the ongoing conflict in Yemen,” said Chris White, the new CAEC chairman, as he announced the inquiry.
Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, the SNP’s trade and investment spokeswoman, who has raised concerns in the
Commons about British arms sales to Saudi Arabia, welcomed the inquiry.
“The UK Government has escaped scrutiny on arms sales to Saudi Arabia for too long after the watchdog on the export of weapons and military equipment ceased work last year,” she said.
“The UK Government cannot justify selling billions of pounds worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia when just last year the Ministry of Justice was pressured into pulling out of a £6 million prison contract with the Kingdom because of concerns over human rights.
“That is why the CAEC investigation is essential so that Parliament can hold the government to account.
“We cannot have any more delay for a full inquiry into these most serious of allegations.”
Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade also backed the inquiry, saying: “We welcome the announcement of an investigation, but these arms sales should never have been allowed in the first place.
“Saudi Arabia is one of the most repressive regimes in the world and has unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe on Yemen, yet it has enjoyed uncritical political and military support from the UK.”
The UK Government has licensed £6.7 billion of arms to Saudi Arabia since David Cameron took office in 2010, including £2.8bn since the bombing of Yemen began in March last year.
CAEC has called for written submissions on evidence about whether UK-manufactured arms are being used by the Royal Saudi Armed Forces in the conflict in Yemen and whether criterion over arms export licences have been breached, and if so what action should be taken.
It is also seeking evidence on whether the Department for International Development should have a bigger role in the granting of arms export licences, potentially allowing it to block such exports.
Saudi Arabia began bombing in Yemen a year ago to support the Yemeni president, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was under threat from Houthi forces aligned with Iran.
Since then more than 5,800 people have been killed, with schools, hospitals and health centres all hit by air strikes.
Amnesty International says more than 80 per cent of the population – 21 million people – are in need of humanitarian aid, including two million children at risk of malnutrition.
At the end of last month MEPs voted by a majority for an EU-wide ban on weapons and munitions exports to Saudi Arabia, citing the humanitarian situation in Yemen as a result of Saudi-led military intervention.
However, the Strasbourg vote did not force EU member states to act and after the vote the Foreign Office insisted existing arms licensing exports to Saudi Arabia were lawful and it would continue to allow such sales.
CAEC comprises members of the defence; foreign affairs; business, innovation and skills and international development committees and was first formed in 1999.
The four member committees work together because each has an interest in arms exports.
The inquiry is due to get underway this spring and the deadline for written submissions is March 25.
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