Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
5th Report - Protection not permission: The UK’s role in upholding international humanitarian law and supporting the safe delivery of humanitarian aid
International Development Committee
HC 526
Published 12 June 2025
Recommendations
3
Not Addressed
Lead efforts to reach consensus on autonomous weapons and create an international instrument.
Recommendation
We recommend that the UK Government takes the lead in efforts to reach a consensus on the use of autonomous weapon systems and artificial intelligence on the battlefield and the creation of an international instrument on their use. (Recommendation, Paragraph …
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Government Response Summary
The government response discusses diplomatic influence, multilateral engagement, and enhancing IHL adherence for humanitarian access, but it does not address the recommendation regarding autonomous weapon systems and artificial intelligence on the battlefield.
6
Not Addressed
Prioritise military-to-military training on International Humanitarian Law for foreign militaries.
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government prioritises military-to-military training on IHL in line with the increase in defence spending. It should make full use of the range of resources it has at its disposal to support foreign militaries to understand not …
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Government Response Summary
The government response outlines the UK's general support for IHL and calls on all parties to comply, but does not address the specific recommendation to prioritise and make full use of military-to-military training on IHL for foreign militaries.
Conclusions (3)
5
Conclusion
Not Addressed
The UK armed forces have a strong and proud history of supporting IHL. They have experience of operating within the spirit and letter of IHL in extremely challenging environments, and of complying with accountability mechanisms when there have been allegations against them. At a time of increasing global tensions and …
Government Response Summary
The government response discusses mitigating sanctions impact on humanitarian aid and monitoring IHL adherence generally, but does not address the committee's specific conclusion regarding the UK armed forces' history and role as an example in upholding IHL.
7
Conclusion
Not Addressed
The FCDO appears to be repeating the same approaches to overcoming access challenges whilst expecting different results. Successful records of traditional forms of public diplomacy in promoting unimpeded access to aid are patchy at best. Polarisation within bodies such as the UN Security Council limit the opportunities to overcome barriers …
Government Response Summary
The government response discusses protecting aid workers, IHL, and countering disinformation, but does not address the committee's observation that the FCDO is repeating approaches to access challenges and needs a radically new strategy.
9
Conclusion
Not Addressed
The UK is well placed to ensure the voice of local organisations is heard in negotiations over access for humanitarian aid. This input is vital for effective and sustainable aid delivery as well as maximising the safety of 49 those delivering it. Moreover, the UK is well positioned to make …
Government Response Summary
The government response discusses risk management for aid workers, programme guidelines, and budget lines for security, but does not directly address the committee's conclusion that the UK is well placed to ensure local organisations' voices are heard in access negotiations.