UK once again delays release of statistics on arms exports to Israel

The British government, which usually releases export data three months after each annual quarter, has once again failed to provide data on defense exports to Israel since the outbreak of war on the Gaza Strip.

In an interrogative parliamentary Trade Committee on Tuesday, Minister for Industry and Economic Security Alan Mak was supposed to provide evidence for the questions raised by the members, he acknowledged the frustration caused by the additional delay in providing the export report.

He claimed that the government is making an exceptional move by preparing to release an export data report covering the period from Oct. 2023 to the end of May 2024, assuring the committee that the release date will be announced on June 7.

Liam Byrne, chair of the Business and Trade Select Committee, described Mak's response as "completely unacceptable."

“These are quarterly statistics. They're late,” Byrne said, before asking Mak once again to provide the committee with the latest statistics he has.

“You're under a ministerial code obligation to answer in full to this committee and we are asking you a question which you are empowered to answer there. Is no legal obligation on you to withhold those statistics under the Statistics Act that is often quoted in these questions, but we would expect this to be answered today,” Byrne said.

The minister reiterated the government's stance and repeated that the statistics would be released within two weeks.

Kate Joseph, the director general of Economic Security and Trade Relations, confirmed that quarterly reports are generally released within three months of the end of the period to which they refer.

She claimed that the delay in releasing the data is partially due to an update in the digital systems of the ministry.

When pressed on the statistics given to the court, Joseph said a British court was provided defense exports to Israel, covering the period to the end of November.

“Are we hearing this correctly that data provided to a court has not been provided to this parliament? The courts of this land are better informed on the data for arms exports than the Parliament of this land. I'm afraid that is a very poor approach to ministerial accountability,” the committee chair said.