A “citizens’ committee” has voted to ban the sale of bombs to Saudi Arabia after hearing expert evidence they are “illegal” – in protest at MPs’ refusal to investigate the controversy.

The unique inquiry – involving MPs, human rights investigators, former defence chiefs, lawyers and academics – ruled the exports of Paveway bombs must stop “with immediate effect”.

It was staged amid growing anger that the Commons committee to investigate arms sales has refused to hold an inquiry into trade with the Saudis, despite a finding it is causing “significant civilian casualties” in Yemen.

Lloyd Russell-Moyle, a Labour MP who set up the citizens’ committee, hailed its verdict and said only “intense political pressure” on civil servants prevented them reaching the same conclusion.

And Dr Anna Stavrianakis, an expert on UK arms export policy at the University of Sussex, said: “The parliamentary system of scrutiny is broken.

“We heard from Brigadier John Deverell, former defence attache to Riyadh, who said no amount of humanitarian aid absolves the UK of complicity in Yemen.”

The witnesses, who included campaigners speaking from Yemen, had told of “routine and systemic attacks on civilians by Saudi Arabia using government-licensed exports of British bombs”.

“They came to the conclusion that exports of the most commonly used bombs used by the Saudi Royal Air Force were illegal,” Mr Russell-Moyle told The Independent.

Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Show all 17 1 /17 Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Doctors take some blood of Yemeni Yousef Abdullah Bakhit Ali, 13, suffering from severe acute malnutrition. With ongoing and unending conflict in Yemen, humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate across the country Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor weighs Yemeni baby Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef, 9 months suffering from malnutrition Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal,12 years old and suffering from severe acute malnutrition. He arrives with his family at a Unicef supported treatment centre in a hospital in Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor measures the arm of Yemeni Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal, 12, who is suffering from malnutrition at a treatment centre in a hospital in Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen There are over 400,000 severely malnourished children in need urgent lifesaving assistance in Yemen Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal is weighed Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor measures the arm of baby Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to reach 275,000 malnourished children with critical life-saving supplies and care for over 5 million people with safe and clean water to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef with his family in his house in the outskirts of the capital Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen The country is on the brink of famine and children's chances of survival are becoming slimmer by the day Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal has his arm measured Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to provide nearly 1 million children with vaccines and healthcare Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Doctors take some blood of Yemeni Yousef Abdullah Bakhit Ali, 13 years old suffering from severe acute malnutrition at a treatment centre in a hospital in the capital Sanaa on November 2, 2018. (Release obtained) With ongoing and unending conflict in Yemen, humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate across the country. There are over 400,000 severely malnourished children in need urgent lifesaving assistance in Yemen. The country is on the brink of famine and childrenâ€™s chances of survival are becoming slimmer by the day. UNICEF are working with partners around-the clock to save children suffering from malnutrition and disease. We are currently working to reach: â€¢ 275,000 malnourished children with critical life-saving supplies and care â€¢ Over 5 million people with safe and clean water to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases â€¢ Nearly 1 million children with vaccines and healthcare â€¢ 9 million people with emergency cash assistance to help families buy basic commodities so they can survive Â© UNICEF/UN0253367/ Huwais Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are working with partners around-the clock to save children suffering from malnutrition and disease Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to provide 9 million people with emergency cash assistance to help families buy basic commodities so they can survive Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal is suffering from malnutrition Unicef Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen On 31 October 2018 in Yemen, the Al Thawra Hospital in Hodeidah where children are being treated for severe acute malnutrition. UNICEF Regional Director for Middle East and North Africa Geert Cappelaere visited Yemen from 29 October through 1 November 2018. As of 30 October 2018, over 11 million children â€“ 80 per cent of all children in the country â€“ require humanitarian assistance, due to the impact of the ongoing conflict. Worsening years of underdevelopment, attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure and lack of salary payments for most civil servants have pushed basic services for children to the brink. Children face food shortages, disease, displacement and an acute lack of access to basic social services. One out of three children in Yemen is at risk of acute malnutrition. Â© UNICEF/UN0253574/Abdulhaleem Unicef/Abdulhaleem

“The civil servants in the department for international trade would also come to this conclusion if they were not under such intense political pressure to approve.”

Last month, a government employer responsible for arms licensing was heard likening his job to that of Nazi officials following orders.

“I’m doing what I’m told and doing my job, but I’m uncomfortably aware of Adolf Eichmann who said the same thing,” he told visitors at an arms fair in Farnborough.

Mr Russell-Moyle has called for the committee on arms export control (CAEC), drawn from four other select committees – defence, foreign, trade and international development – to be replaced by a new body with an elected chairman.

“It’s an open secret within CAEC that it is broken and has been prevented from holding the government to account,” he said.

The citizens’ committee said the licence for the Paveway bombs, produced by Raytheon UK, allows unlimited transfer to Saudi Arabia without the government, or public, having to be informed.

They were described as “the principle air to surface missile used by Saudi”, with “fragments found in lots of civilian sites”.

The court of appeal will rule by the summer whether the UK government is meeting its own commitment not to supply weapons where there is a clear risk of use in violations of international humanitarian law.