PROPOSAL FOR UK POLICY ON DRONE USE

That this House welcomes the Birmingham Policy Commission on The Security Impact of Drones: Challenges and Opportunities for the UK, chaired by Professor Sir David Omand, which was published on 22 October 2014; notes that the exploitation of drones to the UK's benefit is held back by a lack of central direction; stresses the need for policy on the use of drones articulating the UK position on application of international human rights and humanitarian law in complex conflicts; calls on the Government to distinguish UK practice, and protect UK personnel, from inadvertent complicity in the targeted killing of suspects outside traditional battlefields by the US; invites the Government to disclose the guidance issued to staff, and safeguards in place, to ensure that shared intelligence cannot be used for targeted killing contrary to UK law; and further calls on the Government to implement these recommendations forthwith.