Scottish Parliament – Feb. 26, 2025 – 3

The result of the division on motion S6M-16571, in the name of Lorna Slater, on Scottish Enterprise funding for arms companies, as amended, is: For 83, Against 35, Abstentions 0. Motion, as amended, agreed to, That the Parliament reiterates its unwavering support for the ceasefire in Gaza, for the calls for all efforts to be made to ensure an extension of the ceasefire, for humanitarian aid to reach people in Gaza, and for the remaining hostages to be released;

recognises and supports the humanitarian assistance that the Scottish Government has provided to the people of Gaza;

calls for recognition of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution;

recognises that Scottish Enterprise does not provide funding for the manufacture of weapons or munitions;

notes that Scottish Enterprise operates a human rights due diligence process in the awarding of any funding;

recognises that responsibility for issuing licences for the export of arms is reserved to the UK Government;

calls for the suspension of arms exports to Israel, and does not believe that any public funding should be going to supply arms to Israel;

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.