Douglas Alexander MP Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary, responding to the report from the Committee on Arms Export Control, said:

“According to the Government’s own criteria, an export licence cannot be granted for equipment that can be used aggressively by the recipient against another country. In light of the questions raised by the Committee on Arms Export Control, it is vital that the Government now demonstrates, beyond any doubt, that they are adhering to these existing criteria.

“In March the Prime Minister ordered a review of licences for arms exports to Russia and the Foreign Secretary subsequently confirmed that all existing licences for equipment which could be deployed against Ukraine would be suspended with immediate effect.

“Since then, only 34 of the UK’s 285 licences to Russia have actually been suspended. Ministers must now account in full for why export licences for equipment such as small arms ammunition, gun mounting and body armour were not suspended in March.

“If the Government has failed to live up to its pledge on arms sales to Russia, it will raise serious questions about their resolve to now take the steps needed to bring pressure to bear on President Putin.  

“Given the urgency of this issue, I’d expect the Government not to await the return of the House of Commons in September before addressing the very serious concerns raised by the Committee.”