Decisions on whether to suspend UK arms export licences are largely the preserve of a very small group of cabinet ministers advised by lawyers from the Foreign Office. The role of parliament, which used to have a specialist select committee overseeing arms exports, has been downgraded.
Ministers like to give the impression that any decision is a considered examination of the evidence judged against the clear criteria that “the government will not grant a licence if it determines there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law”.
