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Order, order. Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and

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Commonwealth Affairs Mr Fabian Hamilton. Question one, Mr Speaker.

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During last month's state visit my right honourable friend the Prime

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Minister and the president discussed the importance of issues on which we

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disagree, including human rights. I also set out the government's

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position on Tibet, including our human rights concerns in a

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Parliamentary debate secured by the honourable gentleman in June. I

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thank the Minister for that answer. The Minister will be aware that the

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UN committee against torture met last week in Geneva to review

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China's record and expressed serious concerns over its continued use of

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torture to extract confessions from prisoners. In its response, the

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Chinese delegation denied all allegations of endemic, systemic am

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a systematic acts of torture. China also claims to hold no political

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prisoners at all. Bilby Minister or the Foreign Secretary ensure that

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the routine use of torture in jails is raised with China at the next UN

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human rights Council? In Tibet or anywhere else, we would raise these

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matters. May I congratulate the honourable gentleman in keeping

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Tibet at the forefront of this House's deliberations. We had to

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debate recently. I should say that during the recent state visit, which

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was a huge success, the president acknowledged the importance of

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improving human rights protection and said China was ready for

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increased cooperation on this issue with the UK. The UK is one of the

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few countries in the world to have an annual human rights dialogue with

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China, and that is an important architecture within which to press

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the Chinese, and to raise these matters. We shall continue to do so.

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Mr Speaker, the Minister will recall in an exchange on October 22 he

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confirmed that China is ready to cooperate with the UK and other

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countries in the area of human rights. On the subject of Tibet, but

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also the persecution of practitioners, the alleged

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harvesting of organs, were those matters discussed with the Chinese

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president when he visited the UK? Well, the honourable gentleman

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credit me with almost total recall, but I will say that our position has

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been consistent on this matter. My right honourable friend on these

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issues, did raise these matters with the state councillor during the

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strategic dialogue with China in Beijing in August. We have also

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raised specific concerns over reports of organ harvesting on

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numerous occasions, including in answer to a written question on July

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the 15th. Catherine West. Could the Minister please tell the House what

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discussions have taken place to promote the importance of the

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freedom of religious expression in Tibet, and in particular amongst the

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weaker people? I would say to the honourable lady, these are issues

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which we raise consistently with the Chinese within the framework of the

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UK Chinese human rights dialogue. We publish the report which is updated

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every six months. The recent comments about the state visit, that

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the ratio with China is now based purely on one of commerce, this is

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wrong. This is not a winery relationship. So as we get closer to

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the Chinese we are seen as a good partner to China, and in terms of

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inward investment and trade with both countries, so we can discuss

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these things with him in a more mature way than many other countries

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can, it boils down to whether or not you believe in megaphone diplomacy

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by getting alongside the people you are trying to talk to and pointing

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out that the way to do things is the way that we do things. Question two.

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The UK is actively supporting UN efforts led by the Secretary

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General's new special representative to reach a lasting political

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agreement in Libya. We are also helping Tunisia and other North

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African countries to develop their economies, as well as strengthening

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their CTK abilities. I will be visiting Tunisia shortly to assess

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the effectiveness of UK medical and strategic cooperation and I will

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meet with the representative later this week. With the secretary of

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state agrees that it is in our interests that those countries at

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risk of extremist infiltration receives support controlling their

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borders? Yes, I would agree with that. What we have recognised since

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the attacks in Tunisia is that we need to focus more attention on

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those countries that are one step away from the chaos that is going on

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in Libya, countries that are making a success of things might but which

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still have some fun abilities, and which are being targeted by the

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extremists. We need to help them to build resilience against extremism.

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The Minister will know that Tunisia's economy has been badly hit

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to the collapse of its tourist industry. What steps is he taking to

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help other countries reach stability, particularly those in the

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Gulf States? We need to work with the Tunisians to improve security so

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that the tourist trade can resume as soon as is practical. The EU is also

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looking at relaxation of olive oil quotas to allow Tunisia greater

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access to the European market for olive oil, a product which it has

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plenty, if it is able to export it. My honourable friend, the

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Parliamentary undersecretary, visited the country a few weeks ago

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and discussed a 49 .1 with the Tunisians around support for the

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economy, and we are with the French seeking to act as the cheerleaders

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for support for the Tunisian economy within the EU. With the Foreign

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Secretary agree with me that we should also take this opportunity to

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encourage organisations such as the foundation for democracy, and a

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range of other organisations and institutions within our Western

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allies, United States, France and Germany, to name but three? The work

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they can do to ensure that we have political stability and democracy to

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other North African countries. Yes, I agree with my honourable friend,

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and of course Tunisia is ahead of the game, as it were. One of the

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success stories of the 2011 Arab Spring with a functioning

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constitution, democratic elections, but all of it challenged by the

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desire of the extremists to target success stories like that. We must

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stand with them. Mr Speaker, I am sure the Foreign Secretary will join

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us in expressing outrage at the terrorist atrocity in Mali in which

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22 were slaughtered, citizens of China, Mali, Belgium, amongst

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others, and we now see affiliated organisations operating across the

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wider area, could he say what is happening across the Sahara to

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tackle terrorism? We are working with a wide range of countries,

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including crucially Nigeria, because this is a pincer movement coming

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across the Sahara, so we are working with the full range of countries.

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But I would say that if we are going to stop this spread of terrorism, we

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have two tackle it at its heart, and its heart is in Raqqa in Syria. The

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security situation in the Sinai is a threat to Egypt, other countries in

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North Africa, as well as the coalition against Isil, as we saw

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with the recent terrorist attack. What is the Foreign Secretary's

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assessment of the security situation and its impact in Sinai? The

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security situation in Sinai is serious. The Egyptian army is

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engaged in combat with terrorist groups across Sinai, and in fact on

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the Foreign Office's travel advice recommends against all travel to

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Sinai, except the area around Sharm el-Sheikh which is itself still

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considered safe for travel, although travel through the airport is

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advised against. We seek to work with the Egyptian authorities to

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deal with the terrorist challenge that they are facing in Sinai. Does

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the Foreign Secretary believe that further air strikes alone will move

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us towards political stability in the wider region? Perhaps he could

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take this opportunity to address the efficacy of military intervention in

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Syria, and how it would contribute to a wider initiative to end civil

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war and does he have a plan for securing the peace, a plan which

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should include measures to close down all sources of finance and new

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recruits to the terrorist cult, including a government inquiry into

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their financing question mark why is this government attempted to make a

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case for war while Felling to address the need for a long-term

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competency of peace plan? I think the short answer is that air

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strikes alone will not alone destroy Daesh. But they have to be a part of

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the overall solution. In respect of our other specific enquiries, if she

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will wait until Thursday, she can look forward to hearing from the

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Prime Minister himself into how this fits into our wider strategy. I wait

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in anticipation for Thursday's statement. I am also grateful for

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the use of Daesh and all the other parties will follow suit. The US are

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bombing Daesh. France are also targeting rebels. Turkey are bombing

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Daesh and are bombing Kurdish forces in the North. If military action

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forces Daesh give up Sony and Iraq, in the coming weeks and months,

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which forced us the foreign secretary expected take its place on

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the ground? Again, the short answer is the honourable lady is correctly

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identifying the situation is complex. As the Prime Minister

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himself has said, we have to resolve these two things in parallel. We

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have to get a political solution to the Civil War in Syria so we can get

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everybody dealing with the problem of Daesh instead of fighting each

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other. That is what our comprehensive strategy will seek to

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achieve. I discuss progress on central registers of the central

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Cayman Islands and brand-new dog yesterday. -- berm you does. Paul

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Moynihan. The Prime Minister wrote to the overseas territories. It is

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clear that the Prime Minister wants the overseas territories to have

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public registers of ownership. Can he ensure that overseas territories

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adopt public registers or at the very least ensure access for the

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public. I think the honourable gentleman should give the overseas

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territories where credit is due. Progress has been made to central

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registers full working on security forces and police forces access to

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that register. But longer term, he is entirely right. The public access

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to that information is the direction we need to go and will have to go

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alternately. But the Overseas Territory 's are making progress.

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Can my right honourable friend let us know what progress we have made

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on tax evasion? This is a clear area where progress has already been

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made. The territories have fulfilled their commitments are automatic tax

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exchange and this was achieved in working in partnership with them.

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Number four, Sir. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to group this

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with question 15. One of the five principal strands of Isil strategy

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is stabilisation support. The UK has spent in the forefront in providing

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humanitarian support with ?1 billion committed to supporting host

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countries. I am grateful to my honourable friend for that answer.

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Will the Minister while carrying on this important work will work flat

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out to build a robust and energised consensus against Isil among the

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other countries in the Middle East? Mr Speaker, he is right. We must be

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energised. The government is committed to working with the now 65

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strong counter Isil coalition. On our 5-point strategy. Cutting off

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Daesh's funding scream. Providing humanitarian stabilisation support I

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have mentioned already. -- stream. Does my right honourable friend

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agreed that we must do all we can to support those living in refugee

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camps. And to ensure that they can return to their homes and rebuild

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their lives and safety and security? We have done a lot to do just that,

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to allow people to stay in the region, to help the vulnerable who

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need to be taken away from the region and supported. Which is why

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we are taking 20,000 refugees here in the UK. They are not allowed to

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be working illegally. What is the government doing to help countries

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like Jordan economic lace of that can change and that refugees can't

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work legally? That is a valid point. A bit of tension locally with people

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in the camp, willing to be paid less but wanting to work. We're working

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programmes and United Nations, so programmes and United Nations, so

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that they can feel that they can keep skills up. So when the guns

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finally fall silent in Syria, we need those skills to be transferred

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back into the country. When I visited the refugee camp, I could

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see first-hand the amount of aid that the UK government is giving to

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help the situation of the ground in Syria, as well as in Lebanon in

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Turkey and well swear. The UK is the second highest honour to those

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countries. Can the Minister update us as to what progress he has made

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in getting other neighbouring countries and other partners to make

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their proper contribution to helping humanitarian crisis in the region?

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Firstly, I am grateful for his support. Sometimes this number of

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20,000 refugees that we are taking in the UK is taken out of context,

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in comparison with the work we are doing to support those, such as

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those in the Zaatari count. We are providing support to other countries

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but we are also encouraging the neighbours. That is why we are

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hosting a conference here in February along with Kuwait to

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encourage other countries to provide a conference here in February along

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with Kuwait to encourage other countries to provide donations so we

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can be ready for post-conflict reconstruction balls in Iraq and in

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Syria. -- both ends. I discussed the situation in Syria to recent of the

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support Syria support group. The Prime Minister discussed Syria with

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President Putin at the margins of the G20 summit last week. When I saw

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represents the most immediate threat to our national security, we should

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be targeting its headquarters in Syria instead of leaving military

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action there to other countries? I think, Mr Speaker, my honourable

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friend knows my views and reviews of the Prime Minister very well. We do

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believe it is morally unacceptable to outsource an action which is

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essential to the defence of the United Kingdom and UK citizens

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around the world to others. That is why we will be seeking to build a

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consensus in this House for taking military action to Daesh and Raqqa.

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Regarding the situation in Syria, has the Foreign Secretary 's seen

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the letter into the's Times paper were nearly 200 Islamic scholars

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have denounced the strongest possible terms, ISAs terror. That is

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the sort of propaganda we should use and the foreign office should use in

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every way in all parts of the world. Shouldn't we make it perfectly

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clear, as they have done, that the atrocities in Paris have nothing to

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do with the wicked West. We went to war over Kosovo in order to protect

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Muslims and we were right to do so. -- Isis. Our position is a moral

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position. We are defending the right of people, Christians, years the

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Dees, Jews and Muslims to practice their religion freely against

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tyranny that imposes its view by beheadings, by rates, by mass

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deportations. And we must end this terror. He is right, that are vital

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to in our armoury is the very substantial body of thoughtful,

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moderate Islamic scholarship around the world. And we, when I say we,

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all nations of goodwill, this should be essentially led by the Muslim

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countries of the world. We need to ensure that that view prevails. We

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need to help the Muslims of the world reclaim their religion from

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the extremists. Is my honourable friend aware of the appalling news

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this morning that a Russian bomber has been shot down by a Nato

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country, Turkey. Is this not a potentially dangerous situation

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given that nothing like that happened during the whole of the

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Cold War. If we are going to get a solution in the north, we need to

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look at building a moderate Sunni regime. That may go back, we may

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have to go back to read drying the boundaries. Mr Speaker, I review and

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the strong view of all of our partners and allies is that we need

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to preserve the territorial integrity of Syria. If we start

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opening up boundaries in the region, I can promise my honourable friend

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we will prolong the agony. As far as the reports coming in this morning

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of a potential Russian air force jet shot down near the Turkish border,

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we are seeking further details urgently bores and gong Kok --

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Moscow and Ankara. This is potentially a serious incident. But

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it will not be unwise to comment further until we have the facts.

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Following their shockingly brutal attacks in Paris, no one doubts that

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we have to defeat Daesh in both Iraq and in Syria. This must be linked to

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the urgent need for the peace line to end the Civil War in Syria. Can

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he tell the House when he expects a decision to be reached on which

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opposition groups will take part in the talks due to start on the 1st of

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January? What is as current assessment of the chances of

:21:41.:21:44.

securing a ceasefire as part of these discussions about the

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formation of a transitional government? As the right -- right

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honourable gentleman has said, it is the heart of the group s' work. They

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are tasked with the drawing up a list, and agreed list, of opposition

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participants. I hope that when the team meets next, and we expect that

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to beat in the second week of December, that we will be able to

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approve a list at that point. It is right that I should emphasise that

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there are still some differences among the international support

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group. The Russians and Iranians do not take the same view of who is an

:22:28.:22:33.

acceptable interlocutor as are other partners do. I thank the Foreign

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Secretary for that reply. The unanimous agreement of UNC to the

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Council resolution to 249 last Friday was a significant moment in

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the fight against Daesh because the world community has come together to

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fight this evil, using in the words of the resolution, all necessary

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measures. Can the right honourable gentleman give us an idea of how

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macro three's position in Syria -- Daesh's is two events around the

:23:24.:23:27.

world? As the Prime Minister has said on many occasions, there is no

:23:28.:23:31.

doubt that the head of this multi-tentacled monster is in Raqqa,

:23:32.:23:37.

in Syria. Its logistics, is controlling brain, its strategic

:23:38.:23:42.

Communications, which are extremely effective, are all run from that

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headquarters. We will not destroy it by cutting off its limbs, we can

:23:47.:23:50.

only destroy it by going for the heart. It is right that I should say

:23:51.:23:54.

that some of the activity conducted around the world in the name of Isil

:23:55.:24:00.

is directed, clearly directed, from Raqqa. In other cases, it is

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inspired by Isil propaganda, but not directly controlled from Raqqa. So

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it is a mixture. Our immediate priority is to ensure that it passes

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into law. The government is also committed to supporting efforts to

:24:27.:24:28.

maximise registration and the electoral commission plans a

:24:29.:24:31.

campaign in the run-up to the campaign in the run-up to the

:24:32.:24:37.

referendum itself. Given that the unelected House of Lords are now

:24:38.:24:41.

calling for voting franchise to be extended to 16 and 17-year-olds. And

:24:42.:24:45.

given the change in public attitudes, could the government look

:24:46.:24:54.

again and legislate the franchise? This House, the elected House has

:24:55.:24:58.

voted on three occasions in recent months against lowering the voting

:24:59.:25:03.

age to 16 for this referendum. The government will propose to overturn

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this latest amendment from the Lords. I have to say it is a bit

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rich for him and his party to carp about the franchise when they voted

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against having a referendum at all. Will he sure that be sufficient time

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to have both arguments before having the referendum itself on the EU? I

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can assure my honourable friend that there will be ample time for those

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arguments to be aired, both in this House and outside. Can I pressed the

:25:41.:25:47.

minister a little bit further on this issue of 16 and 17-year-old.

:25:48.:25:52.

The other house passed their amendment by a big majority on the

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18th of November on this. There are rumours of disagreements within the

:25:59.:26:02.

government and within the Cabinet on how to respond. The Prime

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Minister... The Prime Minister has left the door open so far to change

:26:18.:26:22.

in the West is that he has been asked previously about this. We know

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that 16 and 17-year-olds are capable of understanding the issues. We know

:26:27.:26:30.

that they are interested and want to take part, so why won't the Minister

:26:31.:26:36.

agree to the amendment and give 16 and 17-year-olds a proper say in the

:26:37.:26:41.

future of our country? There are honourable members in various parts

:26:42.:26:49.

of the House who champion the cause of reducing the voting age to 16,

:26:50.:26:53.

but I would say to the right honourable gentleman that the right

:26:54.:26:56.

time to debate that issue is during legislation where such a change

:26:57.:27:03.

would apply to the franchise for all elections and referendums, and not

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just as a one-off tacked onto a bill for a particular referendum. Carolyn

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Harris. Question seven, Mr Speaker. I discussed the current migration

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rises with my EU counterparts on a regular basis, for example be

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foreign affairs Council last Monday, in Brussels, and when I met with a

:27:25.:27:29.

group of EU countries in Prague the previous Friday. All of them agree

:27:30.:27:35.

on the importance of a competence of approach to tackling the underlying

:27:36.:27:41.

causes of regular migration, and the UK is playing a leading role in

:27:42.:27:47.

delivering this approach. Maybe the minister could share with us what

:27:48.:27:51.

progress is being made with our European colleagues to create simple

:27:52.:27:56.

and safe routes for refugees to be united with their families who have

:27:57.:28:03.

already found Santry in Britain? -- sanctuary. The refugees we are

:28:04.:28:08.

mainly discussing in terms of the question she asked about discussions

:28:09.:28:11.

with my EU colleagues are those who are arriving within the Schengen

:28:12.:28:17.

area. Clearly, those people, since people are -- Britain is not in that

:28:18.:28:26.

area, would not be able to access the UK in the normal course of

:28:27.:28:27.

events, so their future will be within the Schengen area, unless at

:28:28.:28:31.

some point they pertain EU citizenship. Will my right

:28:32.:28:37.

honourable friend explain what's more action can be taken to stop

:28:38.:28:44.

resident Assad's murder of his own people, which is contributing to the

:28:45.:28:47.

refugee crisis that we are seeing at the moment? Mr Speaker, she is

:28:48.:29:02.

absolutely right. The honourable lady is absolutely right. Clearly

:29:03.:29:07.

there is agreement across the European Union that we need to

:29:08.:29:10.

address these issues upstream, and one of the most pressing challenges

:29:11.:29:15.

is the Civil War in Syria. As I have already said once this afternoon,

:29:16.:29:19.

the Prime Minister will set out our preference of approach to that

:29:20.:29:23.

problem, military, political and two and, on Thursday. As part of those

:29:24.:29:29.

discussions with the European Council, what part of those

:29:30.:29:35.

discussions are centred on the real genocide that is happening,

:29:36.:29:40.

including in UN HCI refugee camps in Lebanon, Jordan, the Kurdish

:29:41.:29:44.

autonomous region, I radicalised Islamist linked to Daesh, who are

:29:45.:29:50.

killing Christians in those camps and driving them out of them? I

:29:51.:29:56.

would have to tell the honourable gentleman candidly that that has not

:29:57.:29:59.

been the focus of discussion in foreign affairs Council about the

:30:00.:30:04.

migration crisis, but I am aware of concerns about what is going on in

:30:05.:30:08.

the camp, and of course the UK's approach is to invest heavily in

:30:09.:30:13.

providing safe and appropriate facilities for refugees in the

:30:14.:30:17.

region so that they can return to Syria in due course. We will

:30:18.:30:22.

continue to advocate that approach and to encourage our EU partners to

:30:23.:30:28.

put more money into that effort. Question eight, Mr Speaker. With

:30:29.:30:34.

permission, Mr Speaker, I shall answer this bastion together with

:30:35.:30:36.

the question nine. My right honourable friend the Minister has

:30:37.:30:41.

had deductive rounds of talks with every European leader, and with the

:30:42.:30:46.

president of the European Council, the European Parliament and the

:30:47.:30:48.

European Commission. The Foreign Secretary, Chancellor and I, also

:30:49.:30:52.

maintain regular contact with our counterparts right across Europe.

:30:53.:30:59.

Can the Minister go further and confirmed that the government will

:31:00.:31:04.

not seek to tear up hard one employment rights as part of this

:31:05.:31:10.

negotiation with the EU? We believe that the flexibility of the opt out

:31:11.:31:13.

that we have from the 48 hour week under the working time direct live

:31:14.:31:18.

is one that is very important to keeping employment in this country

:31:19.:31:22.

high, compared with the tragic levels of unemployment in many other

:31:23.:31:29.

European nations. We shall certainly ensure we will keep this. Will the

:31:30.:31:34.

Minister and accept that there will be no treaty changes secured before

:31:35.:31:39.

the referendum? I set out the position on that in the statement

:31:40.:31:44.

and subsequent answers that I gave a week ago. What he -- is very

:31:45.:31:52.

important is that we secure a package of changes which will be

:31:53.:31:57.

seen by all as irreversible and as legally binding. The government used

:31:58.:32:02.

to complain about Tony Blair giving up the UK rebate back to the

:32:03.:32:08.

European Union, so why did the Prime Minister not ask for a reduction in

:32:09.:32:12.

our membership fee to the EU as part of his letter? Is it that the

:32:13.:32:17.

government is now happy that we gave up the rebate, or is it that the

:32:18.:32:21.

primary step has only asked for the things that he has already had

:32:22.:32:25.

agreed by the EU so he can say the negotiations were a success, on the

:32:26.:32:28.

basis that if you ask for nothing, when you get nothing it will be a

:32:29.:32:42.

success? Mr Speaker, my honourable friend would be right to applaud the

:32:43.:32:47.

Prime Minister's success in getting the first ever reduction in the EU

:32:48.:32:51.

Sakho multi annual budget. I can assure him that what lies ahead will

:32:52.:32:55.

be negotiations that will be tough, that will at times be difficult,

:32:56.:33:00.

which I am confident will end with a better set of relationships between

:33:01.:33:07.

this country and the EU. Surely is it not the case that these very

:33:08.:33:12.

modest proposals which were set out in that letter were the only ones

:33:13.:33:15.

which the government believed that the rest of the EU would agree to,

:33:16.:33:23.

which is why an end to free movement, which is something so many

:33:24.:33:26.

people want to see, is not even going to be discussed? Well we have

:33:27.:33:33.

made it clear that we want to see the freedom of movement for workers

:33:34.:33:41.

be just that, and not a freedom of movement to elect the best welfare

:33:42.:33:44.

system anywhere in Europe. I would say to my honourable friend that we

:33:45.:33:50.

must also take account in our approach to this subject the fact

:33:51.:33:53.

that there are hundreds of thousands of British citizens who themselves

:33:54.:33:56.

are able to work, study and live elsewhere in Europe. Further to the

:33:57.:34:04.

previous question, will the issue of freedom of movement, the principle,

:34:05.:34:07.

not the detail, the principle of freedom of movement, will it be

:34:08.:34:14.

discussed or not? I has to ask the honourable gentleman to go and read

:34:15.:34:17.

again the letter that the Prime Minister sent last week because that

:34:18.:34:23.

makes clear that, while we accept the principle of a freedom of

:34:24.:34:27.

movement for workers, we want to secure changes which ensure that we

:34:28.:34:34.

can reduce the core factors which element of our welfare system exert

:34:35.:34:38.

in adding to migration into this country. Following what my

:34:39.:34:46.

honourable friend said, if the bar is so hah and -- so high and so

:34:47.:34:53.

tough, what is the Prime Minister really going to fight for? What is

:34:54.:34:59.

holding him back? Come on, the bar is so low, this negotiation is just

:35:00.:35:05.

a joke. I perhaps look forward to the day when my honourable friend is

:35:06.:35:11.

able to join me at ministerial meetings in Europe when he can

:35:12.:35:15.

actually see that the task of negotiating is not quite as easy as

:35:16.:35:21.

he has made out in his question. I can't give a running commentary on

:35:22.:35:25.

ongoing negotiations, but I remind my honourable friend that the

:35:26.:35:31.

president commented that the British are task and they would be "really

:35:32.:35:37.

difficult to find an agreement". That indicates we have a real

:35:38.:35:41.

negotiation in front of us. Mr Martin day. Question ten. Thank you,

:35:42.:35:53.

Mr Speaker. Britain has made its support for the president in Yemen

:35:54.:35:56.

clear in deed, and recognised his legitimate request for military

:35:57.:36:06.

assistance which has compounded and Jackie -- a dire humanitarian

:36:07.:36:12.

situation. The Foreign Secretary and I received assurances of compliance.

:36:13.:36:21.

I wonder if he can give a timeline for the proper investigations that

:36:22.:36:25.

were pledged earlier this month into any breaches of humanitarian law in

:36:26.:36:32.

Yemen? Mr Speaker, these investigations must be concluded,

:36:33.:36:35.

they must be looked into, and they will be ongoing. It is a very

:36:36.:36:39.

difficult situation on the ground, unable to have access in many cases

:36:40.:36:43.

to verify what has happened. Progress is being made by the envoy

:36:44.:36:49.

in bringing the parties together in Geneva very shortly, and that is

:36:50.:36:52.

where we need to focus on action getting a ceasefire in place. The

:36:53.:36:58.

humanitarian consequences of the conflict in Yemen after hunt

:36:59.:37:01.

clay-macro heart-rending. Would my honourable friend agree that peace

:37:02.:37:06.

talks leading to a political settlement would be the best way to

:37:07.:37:11.

bring an end to the humanitarian suffering and any breaches of

:37:12.:37:14.

international law in this country? My honourable friend is right. We

:37:15.:37:18.

have discussed some important challenges in the Middle East, but

:37:19.:37:22.

the scale of the situation in Yemen is dire. 20 million people are

:37:23.:37:30.

facing starvation. The lack of water and support that they need. There is

:37:31.:37:33.

no government there, and until we have a ceasefire, the port will not

:37:34.:37:39.

be able to open up to allow the humanitarian support to enter the

:37:40.:37:45.

country. Human rights watch has documented 27 air strikes since

:37:46.:37:48.

March 26 that appear to violate the laws of war in Yemen. On November

:37:49.:37:54.

the 11th, the Foreign Secretary said he supported proper investigations

:37:55.:37:58.

into human rights violations from all sides in the Yemen conflict. Can

:37:59.:38:02.

the Minister explain why the United Kingdom failed to support the Dutch

:38:03.:38:08.

at the last meeting of the UN human rights Council when they call for a

:38:09.:38:11.

credible investigation into these violations? Mr Speaker, this is an

:38:12.:38:22.

important point. I met NGO's and had a band table discussion on this

:38:23.:38:26.

policy. There was an international discussion on this matter. We have

:38:27.:38:32.

been working on encouraging Saudi Arabia and other parties involved in

:38:33.:38:37.

this coalition. There are ten other countries as well. Those cases need

:38:38.:38:42.

to be looked into efficiently and properly by the country itself.

:38:43.:38:51.

Question 11. Since operations by the global coalition began last year, I

:38:52.:38:55.

still has lost more than 30% of the territory it once controlled in

:38:56.:39:00.

Iraq. Most recently, Kurdish forces retook Singel, and slowly but surely

:39:01.:39:09.

Isil is being pushed back, and I am confident that it will be driven out

:39:10.:39:19.

of Iraq in time. As Chair of the all-party group on Islamic phobia, I

:39:20.:39:23.

would like them be formally termed as Daesh. But does my honourable

:39:24.:39:27.

friend agree that cutting supply lines with Syria will hasten its

:39:28.:39:32.

defeat and bring about the restoration of the territory? The

:39:33.:39:46.

retaking of Sinjar is important, but we need to go to the heart and head

:39:47.:39:50.

of the beast in Iraq. Does he regard Turkey as a reliable

:39:51.:39:56.

ally in the battle against Isil, when you consider that not only

:39:57.:40:02.

today they have shot down a Russian jet, who are also trying to fight

:40:03.:40:08.

Isil, they are buying oil from Isil in order to prop them up, they are

:40:09.:40:12.

bombing the Kurds, who are also fighting Isil. This Syrian

:40:13.:40:18.

engagement is an almighty guess. -- mess.

:40:19.:40:31.

Turkey holds the key to a number of questions. And also the migration

:40:32.:40:44.

challenge for Europe. It will be an important partner for this country

:40:45.:40:50.

and the European Union. For, sir. Following my recent discussions in

:40:51.:40:54.

Vienna, an international Syria support group will meet on a regular

:40:55.:40:59.

basis in parallel with Syrian lead discussions with the opposition and

:41:00.:41:04.

the facilitated by the UN to take forward a transition process for

:41:05.:41:09.

that country. The UK will work with our international partners to mean

:41:10.:41:13.

men took -- momentum in this important endeavour. Is it not

:41:14.:41:18.

clearer than ever that Isil pose a threat to our national security. Is

:41:19.:41:28.

it not incumbent upon us in this House to support our allies and that

:41:29.:41:34.

the failure to do so would call complete the world and on their

:41:35.:41:39.

part? It is true that we have military capabilities, the precision

:41:40.:41:43.

weapons available on Tornado aircraft, which would make a

:41:44.:41:46.

difference to the military battle on the ground in Syria. But it is

:41:47.:41:52.

incumbent upon us and we have accepted this challenge to make the

:41:53.:41:55.

case is not just for military intervention to set that case in a

:41:56.:41:59.

broader context of a comprehensive approach to the Syria problem. The

:42:00.:42:06.

Prime Minister has taken upon him himself the responsibility of

:42:07.:42:08.

delivering his comprehensive strategy to the House. It is ever

:42:09.:42:13.

more apparent that unless we deal with the biggest recruitment drive

:42:14.:42:23.

for Daesh by the Assad regime, we will not tackle the cancer that is

:42:24.:42:29.

Daesh. Can he tell us how he will prioritise UK engagement to get a

:42:30.:42:35.

ceasefire and a complex compounds of plan question worked through the

:42:36.:42:39.

international support group for Syria that we have set up. She is

:42:40.:42:44.

right. We will not get a ceasefire, we will not get the opposition

:42:45.:42:50.

groups working with the rump of regime forces against Daesh unless

:42:51.:42:54.

and until they can be clear that Assad is going at a certain point, a

:42:55.:42:59.

clear and defined point, in the transition process. At the moment we

:43:00.:43:06.

do not have agreement across the ISS GE about that point. But that is

:43:07.:43:11.

where we have to go and that is the fundamental thrust of all

:43:12.:43:14.

discussions, around tried to get agreement on a route for an exit by

:43:15.:43:19.

Assad, so that the rest of the pieces of this chicks can follow in

:43:20.:43:27.

to place. -- jigsaw. Given Britain's economic ties with Gulf

:43:28.:43:30.

nations and other states in the Middle East, both I and the Foreign

:43:31.:43:34.

Secretary meet our counterparts to discuss a range of issues including

:43:35.:43:39.

security. In recent weeks, the UK hosted the Egyptian president and I

:43:40.:43:48.

have returned from all man and will be heading to Kuwait, looking at the

:43:49.:43:58.

whip on duty. We face an epidemic of Jihadist violence. Can my honourable

:43:59.:44:02.

friend assure the House that it is close dialogue with our golf friends

:44:03.:44:06.

and partners that they will press on them that funding by some of them of

:44:07.:44:10.

these dangerous organisations must stop?

:44:11.:44:15.

My right honourable friend is right. This is one of the key trait of the

:44:16.:44:23.

strategy is to prevent funding taking place. It is important all

:44:24.:44:27.

countries across the Middle East work hard to prevent this from

:44:28.:44:33.

happening. With the Minister raise in his discussions the current

:44:34.:44:38.

terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians. With 108 Israelis killed

:44:39.:44:43.

or injured by shootings or stabbings in the street in recent weeks and

:44:44.:44:47.

will he condemned the incitement that goes with that, including the

:44:48.:44:55.

statement from the Palestinian... That Jewish body parts should be put

:44:56.:45:08.

out in pieces to remove the thought from their heads. She races are very

:45:09.:45:13.

serious point. In the past few weeks we have seen a reduction in the

:45:14.:45:16.

violence that is taking place in the West Bank. Since the start of this

:45:17.:45:22.

current scale of violence, we have spoken regularly with all sides with

:45:23.:45:26.

the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority, we need to DS

:45:27.:45:29.

intentions and get all parties back to the table. Number 14, Mr Speaker.

:45:30.:45:38.

I saw for myself in July the desperate plight of the community.

:45:39.:45:50.

Relieving that plight remains a priority. We will press the incoming

:45:51.:45:54.

government to do so. I thank the Minister for his answer. Elections

:45:55.:46:28.

in Burma were a victory for the people of Burma, not withstanding

:46:29.:46:32.

the fact that the Rohingya registered franchise from that

:46:33.:46:38.

election. I could only just conclude by concurring what press --

:46:39.:46:43.

President Obama said about the Rohingya. He hopes they will be

:46:44.:46:48.

treated fairly and justly in their own country and we believe as he

:46:49.:46:52.

does, they are deserving of the world's protection and support. The

:46:53.:46:56.

incoming government will have a lot on its plate. It will have to expect

:46:57.:47:01.

expectation. We stand ready to help them do that. But the... I have

:47:02.:47:20.

written to them. I am grateful to the Minister for what he said. My

:47:21.:47:25.

priorities remain the struggle against violence in all its forms

:47:26.:47:31.

including a response to the recent despicable attacks in Paris and the

:47:32.:47:36.

Middle East. The containment of Russian actions that threaten the

:47:37.:47:39.

international rules -based system and the renegotiation of Britain's

:47:40.:47:42.

relationship with the European Union. Decisions taken in the

:47:43.:47:47.

strategic defence and offence review will underpin the diplomacy that

:47:48.:47:51.

allows us to make effective progress in all of those areas. Backing a

:47:52.:47:56.

round out its off power with hard power. Tomorrow, Mr Speaker, I will

:47:57.:48:01.

travel to Malta for the Commonwealth heads of government meeting and for

:48:02.:48:04.

the state visit of her Majesty the Queen. Given the changes to the

:48:05.:48:11.

Ministerial Code, is at his view that ministers and the civil and

:48:12.:48:16.

diplomatic services remain bound by the UK boss Mac international treaty

:48:17.:48:22.

obligations? I think the answer to that, Mr Speaker, is yes. How does

:48:23.:48:32.

the strategic defence spending review provide the foreign office

:48:33.:48:38.

with new tools to deal with the situation in Syria, particularly in

:48:39.:48:43.

context of a wider strategy and coordination? Mr Speaker, I have

:48:44.:48:49.

said longer for the publication of the report to the colleagues across

:48:50.:48:54.

government, that the most important reinforcement that we could have

:48:55.:48:58.

diplomacy would be clear statements about this country's determination

:48:59.:49:08.

to back its Armed Forces. We have turned that into specific programmes

:49:09.:49:12.

and plans that will deliver a romp forces the capability that we need

:49:13.:49:16.

to backers of parks with hard power. I have spend a lot of time this

:49:17.:49:23.

weekend hearing about my constituent members about their views on Syria.

:49:24.:49:30.

They do want to know what practical difference Britain can make, how

:49:31.:49:34.

civilians will be protected and whether there is a comprehensive

:49:35.:49:37.

plan to rebuild Syria after was whether proper government in place

:49:38.:49:42.

of Assad to as used chemical weapons on his people? I am glad to hear he

:49:43.:49:46.

is taking the pulse of his constituents. On the last point, as

:49:47.:49:51.

I've said before, the Prime Minister will set out a comprehensive

:49:52.:49:55.

strategy. It is not just about military intervention, it is about

:49:56.:49:58.

how we use that military intervention achieve the political

:49:59.:50:04.

set -- solution that we need. On the military point, yes, the UK does

:50:05.:50:08.

have capabilities that will make a difference. We have the dual mode

:50:09.:50:13.

Brimstone missile carried an attorney dope aircraft which is a

:50:14.:50:21.

precision weapon, unlike any of the other allies have in the coalition.

:50:22.:50:27.

It will insure minimisation of collateral damage and collateral

:50:28.:50:32.

casualties, and that is one of the reasons our allies as sucking me

:50:33.:50:36.

take part in this campaign. There has been another weekend of deadly

:50:37.:50:40.

terror attacks on Israeli citizens, including a brutal stabbing

:50:41.:50:45.

yesterday. Will he condemn these attacks and does he agree that

:50:46.:50:48.

sanctions incitement to commit terror must end? -- sanctioned. My

:50:49.:50:58.

honourable friend is right. We need to get all parties back to the

:50:59.:51:03.

table. Unfortunately it does seem that the planet seamer misaligned at

:51:04.:51:06.

the moment. We need to reconfigure and make sure that all parties come

:51:07.:51:10.

back and prevent the scale of violence from increasing. What steps

:51:11.:51:17.

does the Foreign Secretary taking to ensure that genuine law-abiding

:51:18.:51:23.

refugees leaving Syria are not locked out of the asylum process as

:51:24.:51:29.

a result of border measures being introduced across the EU after the

:51:30.:51:34.

brutal attacks in Paris? Clearly, it is a matter for each member state of

:51:35.:51:41.

the European Union and other European countries to determine

:51:42.:51:45.

their own border controls. The way forward has to be for asylum seekers

:51:46.:51:51.

to be properly assessed and screamed at the first safe country that they

:51:52.:51:57.

go to and for us to tackle the problem in the camps, in the near

:51:58.:52:01.

East, so that people get some assurance of a decent life and

:52:02.:52:05.

opportunities for education for their children. Rather than

:52:06.:52:10.

hazarding these appalling journeys to Europe. With the Foreign

:52:11.:52:18.

Secretary agree with me that in order that we play a constructive

:52:19.:52:23.

role in dealing with Isis and other instabilities in the region, we need

:52:24.:52:26.

a comprehensive strategy towards the Middle East as a whole, not just

:52:27.:52:32.

Syria? Yes, Mr Speaker, I do agree with that. The government is working

:52:33.:52:39.

up a golf strategy, looking at how the UK will engage with this very

:52:40.:52:44.

important region, important for our security and important for our

:52:45.:52:47.

prosperity as well, over the next 5-10 years. Does the Foreign

:52:48.:52:54.

Secretary agree that defeating Daesh abroad provides security at home? I

:52:55.:53:06.

saw headlines yesterday that cast doubt on that. The result unity in

:53:07.:53:17.

the UK hate Daesh. The Sun newspaper published divisions yesterday when

:53:18.:53:21.

we need unity. It is clear to me that the majority of the Muslim

:53:22.:53:25.

population here in the UK and across the world applaud what is going on

:53:26.:53:29.

and are sickened by the fact that it it is being done ostensibly in the

:53:30.:53:34.

name. They are very clear that their religion does not in any way support

:53:35.:53:38.

or authorise the action is being carried out by Daesh and we should

:53:39.:53:42.

help them to reclaim their religion from the terrorists and the

:53:43.:53:48.

extremists. In improving economic times in the UK and sub-Saharan

:53:49.:53:53.

Africa is important. What are the government's objectives at the

:53:54.:54:00.

summit next week? The honourable gentleman is right. Economic

:54:01.:54:03.

development is central to everything that we do. I head of the global

:54:04.:54:10.

African investment Summit, I will be meeting a collection of presidents,

:54:11.:54:13.

prime ministers and foreign ministers at Lancaster House,

:54:14.:54:18.

looking at economic Dev elements, looking at working with those

:54:19.:54:20.

countries to develop their businesses, alongside Ritter 's

:54:21.:54:25.

business, to grow Africa out of poverty. In the course of questions

:54:26.:54:31.

today, the Foreign Secretary has mentioned the need for compounds of

:54:32.:54:36.

strategy. We have heard before about financial sanctions. Update the

:54:37.:54:40.

House on what conversations he has had with counterparts in the US and

:54:41.:54:47.

EU about stopping the supply of cash and financial services to Daesh? Mr

:54:48.:54:54.

Speaker, she is right to say that it is not just on the battlefield, it

:54:55.:54:57.

is about cutting down on the finances as well. We are looking to

:54:58.:55:00.

freeze accounts, huge amounts of work to be done through the

:55:01.:55:05.

Financial Services Authority is in order to identify the flow of funds

:55:06.:55:09.

coming from large donors, individuals. In addition to that, we

:55:10.:55:14.

are looking at the money streams coming into Daesh itself, as it

:55:15.:55:19.

sells antiquities and oils. It is reflected in the fact that the

:55:20.:55:22.

amount of foreign fighters, the amount they get on a monthly debases

:55:23.:55:27.

has been reduced because funds into Daesh are being reduced. Will he

:55:28.:55:42.

talk about what the UK is doing in Burundi. I am grateful for him to

:55:43.:55:48.

raise the situation in the ruined it. It is important there is a

:55:49.:55:52.

regional solution. I have had discussions with the role London

:55:53.:56:02.

government which is in gauging -- Rwandan government. This is a matter

:56:03.:56:08.

of grave concern and I have had a number of frank and open

:56:09.:56:13.

conversations with the Burundi and Foreign Minister and issues an open

:56:14.:56:18.

letter to him as well as a number of the international community.

:56:19.:56:23.

It is estimated that Russian bombings have killed many people,

:56:24.:56:31.

when the Foreign Minister met with the Foreign Minister and he urged

:56:32.:56:35.

him to refocus those air strikes away from the opposition armies who

:56:36.:56:39.

are fighting President Assad's reign of terror, and towards those

:56:40.:56:43.

terrorists who brought down that Russian airliner? Absolutely right,

:56:44.:56:46.

that is what we have been urging the Russians to do. If they want to

:56:47.:56:50.

fight Isil, we will be happy to work with them. But at the moment, what

:56:51.:56:55.

we have seen is that a significant proportion, the majority in fact, of

:56:56.:56:58.

their air strikes have been directed against the moderate opposition

:56:59.:57:02.

fighting Assad. In fairness, since the Russians acknowledged that it

:57:03.:57:05.

almost certainly was terrorist action that brought down that

:57:06.:57:09.

airliner, they have directed a larger proportion of air strikes

:57:10.:57:14.

against Isil held territories. Good my right honourable friend find

:57:15.:57:17.

any further detail on discussions he has had with the Iraqi government

:57:18.:57:21.

about ensuring measures are taken to promote security and enhanced

:57:22.:57:29.

erupt's liberation of areas. Focus needs to be done on supporting

:57:30.:57:36.

Iraqi, but unfortunately many Sunni Muslims in Iraq believe they are not

:57:37.:57:41.

properly represented in Baghdad, so we are working with the Prime

:57:42.:57:45.

Minister to encourage financial services laws and National Guard

:57:46.:57:47.

laws to go through so that they have a place, and are represented

:57:48.:57:54.

properly in Baghdad. I would like to thank the

:57:55.:57:58.

Parliamentary secretary of state for writing to me about my Yemeni

:57:59.:58:03.

constituent. I read the Home Office device he directed me to on this

:58:04.:58:09.

issue. Does he agree it does not inspire confidence that the Home

:58:10.:58:13.

Office managed to miss translate medicines some frontier, and will he

:58:14.:58:24.

meet with me to discuss this? I am grateful that she raises this matter

:58:25.:58:27.

and I would be delighted to meet with her later to discuss it in more

:58:28.:58:35.

detail. The world's attention is rightly on the Middle East and Syria

:58:36.:58:39.

at the moment, but there is an ongoing situation in Ukraine. Has my

:58:40.:58:44.

right honourable friend made any assessment of the situation in

:58:45.:58:50.

Ukraine? We remain concerned about the situation in Ukraine. I was last

:58:51.:58:54.

there in early October this year, when I met the Prime Minister, the

:58:55.:59:00.

Foreign Minister, and other Ukrainian leaders and

:59:01.:59:04.

parliamentarians. The latest situation is that there has been an

:59:05.:59:07.

upsurge of fighting in certain locations around Donetsk. The key

:59:08.:59:15.

thing now is to ensure that the Minsk process is followed through to

:59:16.:59:19.

the end, and all parts of it are completed. We are right not to be

:59:20.:59:27.

part of Shannon and DIY to call for reform, but doesn't the invoking of

:59:28.:59:31.

the EU defence clause remind us why we have to be part of a reformed EU,

:59:32.:59:39.

as well as part of Nato? I think that what France has done by in

:59:40.:59:43.

vogue in that article in the treaty has been to ask other member

:59:44.:59:49.

states, and crucially not the European institutions under that

:59:50.:59:52.

article, to come to its assistant in all possible ways, as they need to

:59:53.:59:59.

react to the terrorist onslaught on Paris. It is important to bear in

:00:00.:00:05.

mind that that treaty article also makes reference to the need for the

:00:06.:00:10.

EU always to coordinate its work with that of Nato. The Foreign

:00:11.:00:19.

Secretary will be aware that the former primary of Canada Stephen

:00:20.:00:23.

Harper was rebuffed in his support for self-determination of the people

:00:24.:00:27.

of the Falkland islands. Will he take the opportunity when Mr Trudeau

:00:28.:00:30.

visits this week to emphasise how grateful we are for the Canadian

:00:31.:00:35.

support for the Falkland Islands, and will be policy remain the same

:00:36.:00:40.

under his premiership? My honourable friend can be reassured that we

:00:41.:00:46.

expect the same from Mr Trudeau on who is on his way to London to meet

:00:47.:00:50.

with our Prime Minister and Her Majesty before travelling on. We

:00:51.:00:56.

expect the same relationships. It is an ancient and potent ratio between

:00:57.:00:59.

ourselves and Canada. The honourable gentleman will be aware that has

:01:00.:01:04.

been an election in Argentina, and we look forward to working with the

:01:05.:01:11.

new government of Argentina who hopefully will not suffer from the

:01:12.:01:16.

bullying and hostility shown by the former government of Argentina to

:01:17.:01:18.

the people of the Falkland

:01:19.:01:19.

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