Saudi Arabia: Liz Truss cleared over breaches of ban on UK arms sales linked to Yemen war

Internal report blames ‘shortcomings’ in processes set up – and warns of ‘potential’ for further violations of court-ordered freeze

The five-year war in Yemen has been called the world's worst humanitarian crisis (REUTERS)

An internal inquiry into breaches of the ban on arms sales to Saudi Arabia linked to the Yemen bloodbath – which triggered calls for Liz Truss to resign – has cleared ministers of personal responsibility.

Instead, the report blames “shortcomings in the processes” for overseeing weapons licences – while warning of the “potential” for further violations of the freeze, ordered by a court ruling last year.

The probe followed the revelation that the department for international trade granted three further export licences for military equipment that could be used to fuel the humanitarian crisis in neighbouring Yemen.

Last June, the Court of Appeal ruled it was unlawful for the UK to sanction arms exports without assessing whether the war being waged by a Saudi-led coalition had broken international law.

Three months later, Ms Truss, the trade secretary responsible for export controls, was forced into two embarrassing Commons appearances to admit the “inadvertent” blunders, triggering calls for her to quit.

The inquiry, carried out by Jonathan Mills, a senior civil servant, has found the government’s processes were “not sufficient to ensure that the government would be able to implement the commitments that it had given”.

It criticises failures to properly share information, to set up mechanisms to prevent breaches from licences already vetted but not yet issued, and confusion about countries’ involvement in the war.

Nevertheless, it concluded there was “no evidence that there had been ministerial involvement in decisions on these licences” and focuses on processes instead.

No further breaches of the ban had been found, but “it is not possible to eliminate the potential for licences to have been granted which subsequently prove in breach of the undertaking to court”, the report said.

The Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) – highlighting £5.3bn of UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia since the bombing of Yemen began in 2015 – demanded a total ban on military exports to the regime.

“The government has proven incapable of following the Court ruling, so we hope that these new recommendations are implemented and lead to real change,” said spokesman Andrew Smith.

“This isn’t just a question of procedure, it’s also one of political will, and Boris Johnson and his colleagues have consistently put arms company interests ahead of the rights and lives of people in Yemen.”

Jamie Stone, the Liberal Democrat defence spokesperson called the department’s lack of vigilance “shameful”, adding: “It casts doubt on the Tories’ ability to prevent any further breaches of the Court of Appeal’s ruling.”

In a statement to MPs, Ms Truss said the report had found “improved, timely information sharing across government” to prevent further breaches.

“I will be considering whether any further action is necessary to ensure the continuance of robust and rigorous operations and assurance processes,” she said.

The five-year war continues in Yemen, but the United Nations has expressed hope it will wind down this year, as both the Saudis and Iran-backed Houthi rebels seek a political resolution.