Scottish Parliament – Feb. 26, 2025 – 2

S6M-16571.2: As an amendment to motion S6M-16571 in the name of Lorna Slater (Scottish Enterprise Funding for Arms Companies), insert at end ";

acknowledges that across the UK, arms export licences have been suspended for items with a clear risk that they may be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law;

calls on Scottish Enterprise to review its human rights due diligence checks to ensure that they take account of where products’ end use is, and that they fully comply with legal obligations under the Export Control Act 2002 and international law, and recognises the contribution of the defence sector in Scotland and the role that Scotland-based businesses have played in defending democracy and freedom."

Original motion(S6M-16571): That the Parliament notes with concern that at least £8 million of Scottish Enterprise grants have been awarded to 13 companies involved in arms dealing and manufacturing since 2019, including £700,000 to Leonardo and £500,000 to Raytheon Systems;

further notes that a number of these businesses have directly supplied weapons and equipment to Israel during its assault on Gaza;

understands that, despite this, no company has failed the current Scottish Enterprise human rights due diligence checks;

believes, therefore, that the current due diligence process at Scottish Enterprise is failing to ensure that Scotland upholds its international obligations, and calls on the Scottish Government to end all public funding to companies complicit in the arms trade with Israel.