Select committee: Committees on Arms Export Controls
Recommendation 46
First Joint Report - Developments in UK Strategic Export Controls
Published 28 Oct 2022
Paragraph 141
Committees on Arms Export Controls UK arms exports in 2019 All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
The rapid advancement of new technologies such as spyware is a major challenge for export control regimes. Given the Government’s assertion that it is inappropriate to move intrusion software and related licensable goods and technology into Category A of the UK’s trade controls system, in response to our report the Government should set out what action it is taking to address human rights concerns associated with surveillance technologies. The Government should also set out what action it is taking to ensure global human rights compliant regulatory frameworks are in place for such technologies.
From: Committees on Arms Export Controls, First Joint Report - Developments in UK Strategic Export Controls (HC 282), paragraph 141, 28 October 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 9 January 2023 (deadline 9 January 2023).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government responds to the Committees' recommendations by noting some conclusions, committing to specific updates and data, and declining several recommendations, including a post-shipment verification pilot and an independent review of the new Criteria.
- On LITE, the government says delivery is being progressed "urgently" and "will commit to ECJU providing the Committees with six-monthly updates on progress".
- On post-shipment verification, it says it "retain[s] an open mind" but "cannot commit to implementing a pilot programme by 2025", citing significant costs, resource and legal, diplomatic and practical issues.
- On the new Strategic Export Licensing Criteria, it is satisfied they provide a thorough risk assessment framework and "does not consider an independent review to be necessary or proportionate".
- HMRC "will provide convictions data for export control violations for inclusion in Annual Reports", but says it cannot agree to give the Committees settlement data, even privately.