Britain is not doing enough to make certain arms exports are not being turned against civilians in conflict zones, a major report said today.
The warning from a group of four select committees comes after the UK government was accused of contributing to the deaths of civilians in Gaza and Sri Lanka.
The Foreign Office has since revoked its licence to Israel following the conflict with Hamas in the new year, and the committees on arms export control wants similar stringent measures in place with regards to Sri Lanka, which earlier this year ended a 26-year civil war with the Tamil Tigers.
The committees are calling for a register of permitted UK arms brokers and a review of all licences to Sri Lanka.
'Sri Lanka highlights the need for the UK government to monitor closely the situation in countries recently engaged in armed conflict,' said the committees' chairman Roger Berry.
'It must assess more carefully the risk that UK arms exports might be used by those countries in the future in a way that breaches our licensing criteria.'
In response, the Foreign Office said it shared the committees' concerns over military exports potentially fuelling conflicts involving civilians.
'As a result of the intensified fighting in Sri Lanka earlier this year, the government launched a full review of export licensing decisions to Sri Lanka,' a spokesperson said.
'In particular, whether there was a need to revoke any licences that were now in breach of the criteria governing export controls.
'This review is nearing completion, and the outcome will be reported to parliament.'
The warning from a group of four select committees comes after the UK government was accused of contributing to the deaths of civilians in Gaza and Sri Lanka.
The Foreign Office has since revoked its licence to Israel following the conflict with Hamas in the new year, and the committees on arms export control wants similar stringent measures in place with regards to Sri Lanka, which earlier this year ended a 26-year civil war with the Tamil Tigers.
The committees are calling for a register of permitted UK arms brokers and a review of all licences to Sri Lanka.
'Sri Lanka highlights the need for the UK government to monitor closely the situation in countries recently engaged in armed conflict,' said the committees' chairman Roger Berry.
'It must assess more carefully the risk that UK arms exports might be used by those countries in the future in a way that breaches our licensing criteria.'
In response, the Foreign Office said it shared the committees' concerns over military exports potentially fuelling conflicts involving civilians.
'As a result of the intensified fighting in Sri Lanka earlier this year, the government launched a full review of export licensing decisions to Sri Lanka,' a spokesperson said.
'In particular, whether there was a need to revoke any licences that were now in breach of the criteria governing export controls.
'This review is nearing completion, and the outcome will be reported to parliament.'
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