They’re still making arms. You’re still giving them our money
Anger as taxpayer foots bill for firms
The SNP Government has been asked to explain why arms companies continue to be given public money despite human rights concerns being highlighted in secret reports.
Scottish Enterprise (SE) was ordered last year to begin carrying out due diligence assessments on a number of controversial f irms given taxpayers’ cash.
They include Raytheon in Glenrothes, which supplied missiles to Saudi Arabia, and Chemring in Ayrshire, which made CS gas used during the Arab Spring.
Documents released via Freedom of Information to the Scottish Greens have now revealed issues with a number of high-profile firms.
They show that Raytheon and Chemr ing received negative press coverage while also being named in reports on human rights websites.
Ross Greer MSP, the Greens’ external affairs spokesman, said: “Now we know that human rights concerns were found during checks on these arms dealers, the SNP need to explain why their government is still handing over public money.
“Whether it’s Saudi Arabia’s bomb-maker or the supplier of tear gas used against children in Hong Kong, this government has given millions of pounds to arms dealers since it came to office.
“And despite their checks now
raising concerns, the flow of cash to these despicable companies hasn’t slowed down at all.”
Greer also criticised the format of the human rights assessments as a “box-ticking exercise”.
He added: “The Scottish Government introduced human rights checks after years of pressure from the Greens.
“It’ s now clear the checks they created are nothing more than a boxticking exercise – one which attempts to avoid making the connection between arms sales and human rights abuse.
“It fails spectacularly to avoid that clear relationship.”
SE was forced to admit in November last year that it did not yet hold assessments on arms firms given millions of pounds in taxpayers’ cash.
That was despite guidelines introduced earlier that year stating quangos should do checks and keep records.
SE and partner Highlands and Islands Enterprise gave weapons makers £1.2million of public money in 2016-17, and more than £20million has been handed out in the past 10 years.
The Sunday Mai l has highlighted £ 200,590 given to Raytheon despite the firm selling missile parts to Saudi Arabia. The Saudis have bombed bombed civilian sin Yemen andcivilian sin Yemen and there has also been fury over the murder of journalist Jamal Kashoggi in their Istanbul consulate.
Leonardo SPA, formerly Selex, in Edinburgh, also receive public funding. It makes lasers for the Typhoon Eurofighter jet being bought by Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Chemring made CS gas that was used on civilians in the 2011 Egyptian Arab Spring.
SE has defended the payments by claiming the money is to help diversify away from munitions.
A spokesman said: “We refute the allegation this is a box- ticking exercise. We introduced an extra layer of due diligence relating to human rights in March and continue to implement the appropriate level of reviews.
“Should our approach raise human rights concerns then funding could be declined.”
The Scottish Government said: “The export of arms is the responsibility of the UK Government and we expect them to properly police such exports and to properly investigate any concerns.
“Human rights due diligence checks are a normal part of the Scottish Enterprise application process.”