USE OF EXPLOSIVE WEAPONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN YEMEN

That this House notes with concern the findings of the report by Save the Children, Nowhere Safe for Yemen's Children: the deadly impact of explosive weapons in Yemen, published in December 2015, including what the report calls mounting evidence that serious violations of international humanitarian law have been committed in Yemen; further notes that report highlights UN records showing that nearly three quarters of child deaths and injuries during the second quarter of 2015 were caused by air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition, and 18 per cent of child deaths and 17 per cent of child injuries were attributed to Houthi forces; notes that the report calls on all parties to immediately stop the use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects in populated areas in Yemen, and for other states not to sell or transfer arms to any party involved in the conflict; notes similar findings in a report by Amnesty International, Bombs fall from the sky day and night: Civilians under fire in northern Yemen, published in October 2015, which calls for independent, effective investigation of alleged human rights violations and for the suspension of transfers of certain arms; and calls on the Government to fully investigate any claims that weapons manufactured or sold in the UK to members of the Saudi-led coalition are being used to breach human rights in Yemen, and to take appropriate action to prevent this occurring.