:00:00. > :00:00.press and police. Do join me at 11pm for a round-up in both houses of
:00:00. > :00:08.Parliament. First, questions to the Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and
:00:09. > :00:18.his team of Ministers. Order, order. Questions to the Secretary of State
:00:19. > :00:29.for foreign and affairs. Question one, Mr Speaker. Happy New
:00:30. > :00:33.Year to you. The humanitarian situation in Yemen is one of the
:00:34. > :00:37.most serious crises in the world, and UNESCO says there are 19 million
:00:38. > :00:42.people in need of help in that country. The UK is providing
:00:43. > :00:45.support. We are spending over ?100 million to provide assistance. We
:00:46. > :00:49.all agree that a political solution is the best way to end this
:00:50. > :00:53.conflict. I met with foreign Ministers from Saudi Arabia, Amman,
:00:54. > :00:58.the United Arab Emirates and the United States on eight under
:00:59. > :01:02.December, in Riyadh, as long the macro well as the UN envoy, and I
:01:03. > :01:09.hope to bring all parties back to the table. The humanitarian
:01:10. > :01:13.situation in Yemen is deteriorating, and the UN estimates that 80% of the
:01:14. > :01:20.population in Yemen is in need of humanitarian aid. Around 22 million
:01:21. > :01:24.people. According to the governance's own figures, British
:01:25. > :01:30.aid has reached less than 5% of those people. Whilst it is welcome,
:01:31. > :01:33.it is nowhere near enough. This is a major emergency, affecting people
:01:34. > :01:36.not only in Yemen, but also in my constituency. What plans does the
:01:37. > :01:43.Minister had to increase the people in Yemen supported by British
:01:44. > :01:50.support? She raises an important aspect of this very sad conflict.
:01:51. > :01:55.Whilst we are denied a political solution, it is the people of Yemen
:01:56. > :02:00.that are suffering. Because of this is the ability to get aid into the
:02:01. > :02:06.country. The main access to the majority of the country is through a
:02:07. > :02:10.port which is currently in boozy hands. The cranes are out of action,
:02:11. > :02:18.and it is there that we need to get more access through. Dash-macro
:02:19. > :02:21.Houthi. We need to prepare the cranes so a greater size of ship can
:02:22. > :02:28.get in and then equipment and support can be distributed across
:02:29. > :02:32.the country. I wholly endorse the remarks made by
:02:33. > :02:37.the honourable lady. In addition, the UN reports there may be up to
:02:38. > :02:41.370,000 starving children in Yemen. In addition to our own age, what
:02:42. > :02:47.discussions has my honourable friend had with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf
:02:48. > :02:53.states to provide significant humanitarian aid? It is fair to say
:02:54. > :02:56.that Saudi Arabians, and members of the coalition, whilst the headlines
:02:57. > :03:01.are about the military campaign that takes place on they are doing huge
:03:02. > :03:05.amounts to provide support for refugees in their countries, and
:03:06. > :03:11.also to provide humanitarian aid. Often this is done outside the
:03:12. > :03:15.auspices of the United Nations. During the United Nations General
:03:16. > :03:18.Assembly, my right honourable friend, the Secretary of State 40
:03:19. > :03:24.fit, held a conference to make sure that we can bring countries together
:03:25. > :03:30.to support Britain and our work to get aid into and across the country.
:03:31. > :03:34.Mr Speaker, can I thank him for his personal efforts, and that of the
:03:35. > :03:39.Foreign Secretary, in trying to broker a ceasefire. But that is the
:03:40. > :03:45.key. We need a ceasefire in the same way as Turkey and Russia managed to
:03:46. > :03:48.do for Syria. Have there been any further discussions with the United
:03:49. > :03:51.States about getting this back onto the agenda of the Security Council?
:03:52. > :03:56.I know the Foreign Secretary was in America at the end of last week. Was
:03:57. > :04:02.this raised with them, and when can we get this back for discussion at
:04:03. > :04:06.the UN? I think there is a further question down the line, which
:04:07. > :04:11.focuses on a UN Security Council resolution. Just touching on that
:04:12. > :04:14.now, this is our ambition, to gain a resolution which will be along the
:04:15. > :04:18.lines of what the road map is discussing. We met our 19th of
:04:19. > :04:22.December, we did confirm the direction of travel that we want to
:04:23. > :04:25.go. He will know because of his understanding of the country, it is
:04:26. > :04:31.not so simple as to suggest this is the Houthis against resident howdy
:04:32. > :04:35.on those on that side, but it is a complex tribal structure which
:04:36. > :04:40.requires the buying of many parts of the country in order to make sure
:04:41. > :04:49.that ceasefire and the station of hostilities can last. Can he confirm
:04:50. > :04:52.media reports that Iran is now publicly backing the Saudi led
:04:53. > :05:04.coalition attempts to bring security back to Yemen? I can confirm that
:05:05. > :05:11.the Foreign Minister for Oman was at the discussion, as well as a
:05:12. > :05:14.representative from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the key
:05:15. > :05:23.nations providing support, and I pictured beautiful work that Oman
:05:24. > :05:27.has done in bringing the Houthis to the table to attain this ceasefire.
:05:28. > :05:31.In accurate information has been provided to Parliament on a number
:05:32. > :05:34.of times. The Minister said previously he acted immediately, but
:05:35. > :05:38.a new Freedom of information request reveals that the Minister and former
:05:39. > :05:43.Foreign Secretary knew as early as the 28th of June last year that
:05:44. > :05:46.Parliament had been misled, but this was not corrected until the 21st of
:05:47. > :05:51.July. Does the Minister believe that the ministerial code was complied
:05:52. > :05:54.with? I am guessing from the question he puts forward that this
:05:55. > :06:01.is in relation to the sale of munitions. He did not explain this
:06:02. > :06:05.or the context, so maybe if we meet afterwards, then he can give me a
:06:06. > :06:14.follow-up question, or he can come to the debate on Thursday when we
:06:15. > :06:17.will discuss Yemen in more detail. Mr Speaker, last month the Defence
:06:18. > :06:20.Secretary informed the House that the Saudi government had given
:06:21. > :06:25.assurances they would no longer use UK manufactured last bombs. Can I
:06:26. > :06:28.ask the Minister if he has confirmation from the Saudis that
:06:29. > :06:35.they have now disposed of these weapons? They have confirmed that
:06:36. > :06:40.that is their intention, and hopefully for the debate on Thursday
:06:41. > :06:44.I will be able to ensure that that has actually happened. I will go
:06:45. > :06:52.further than that to say that, prior to the visit by the Prime Minister
:06:53. > :06:55.for the conference, I invited all of the GCC nations to sign the
:06:56. > :06:59.convention on cluster munitions so they can join other countries around
:07:00. > :07:05.the world in condemning these horrific weapon systems. 40 million
:07:06. > :07:10.people in Yemen, more than half the population, are today going hungry.
:07:11. > :07:14.In the capital residents scavenge rubbish dumps for food. Can the
:07:15. > :07:17.Minister tell us what progress he is making towards brokering the
:07:18. > :07:21.ceasefire so these people can get the help they need? This goes back
:07:22. > :07:26.to the original question and it is vital that we get full access to
:07:27. > :07:30.Sanaa. I'm fortunate, this is in the hands of the Houthis. We are unable
:07:31. > :07:34.to utilise the airport, which would be the best way to get into the
:07:35. > :07:38.country because of disagreements taking place. The sooner we can get
:07:39. > :07:44.all parties back around the table, then we can get this cessation of
:07:45. > :07:49.hostilities in place and gain that important aid into the country,
:07:50. > :07:53.including the capital. Let me first say that I think it would be fitting
:07:54. > :07:58.that the House ought to welcome the fact that, whatever else 2016 port,
:07:59. > :08:03.it was the first year in almost four decades when no member of our Armed
:08:04. > :08:06.Forces was killed in operations. Sadly, Mr Speaker, this is not
:08:07. > :08:10.because we live in a more peaceful world. In Yemen the conflict is as
:08:11. > :08:15.fierce as ever and the suffering of their children is worse than ever.
:08:16. > :08:23.It is the worst crisis in the world. One child dies every ten minutes
:08:24. > :08:26.from a lack of food. I have here the UK's draft UN resolution, which
:08:27. > :08:29.could bring an end to that conflict and allow the delivery of
:08:30. > :08:35.humanitarian relief, but there was not a single words that any
:08:36. > :08:42.reasonable party could disagree with, so I ask the Minister this
:08:43. > :08:45.question. Three months from its first appearance. Why is the UK
:08:46. > :08:55.still sitting on this draft resolution? Mr Speaker, the way that
:08:56. > :08:58.the UN resolutions are drafted is that they need to be made sure that
:08:59. > :09:02.they are workable, and that means that all parties must sign up and
:09:03. > :09:06.agree to it, otherwise it is simply just a piece of paper. For us to
:09:07. > :09:10.make sure that the UN resolution can stand on what we are actually
:09:11. > :09:13.saying, and can be enforced, you then need the parties to come round
:09:14. > :09:21.the table and have that cessation of hostilities. As she is right, we
:09:22. > :09:24.work towards the drafts, we don't increment them and will are sure
:09:25. > :09:33.that resolution can work in actors. I thank the Minister for that answer
:09:34. > :09:40.but we have heard this before. I know that the Ministers don't listen
:09:41. > :09:45.to their ambassadors any more these days, but this is what our UN
:09:46. > :09:51.ambassador said back in November. Asked what it would take to achieve
:09:52. > :09:56.a permanent ceasefire he said, "The UK will continue to support those
:09:57. > :10:02.efforts, including the use, if necessary, of our draft Security
:10:03. > :10:06.Council resolution." That was 50 days ago. 50 days of continuing
:10:07. > :10:12.fighting, and still we have the same old delay in tactic from this
:10:13. > :10:16.government. I ask again, when Bull the Foreign Secretary pull his
:10:17. > :10:18.finger out, present this resolution, and end what is a terrible proxy
:10:19. > :10:26.war? I'm sorry to use these words, but
:10:27. > :10:31.she is now illustrating that she does not have a grasp of the UN
:10:32. > :10:35.process itself and what is going on on the ground in Yemen. To suggest
:10:36. > :10:37.that any of us on this side of the page do not listen to our
:10:38. > :10:45.ambassadors, that is to mislead the House. I would invite... Order. Of
:10:46. > :10:48.one thing we should be clear, the Minister has a grasp of
:10:49. > :10:55.Parliamentary protocol. You cannot accuse somebody of misleading the
:10:56. > :11:02.House. Both words of wrong and both must be withdrawn. Minister. I
:11:03. > :11:06.withdraw those remarks. If I had inadvertently, would that work, so?
:11:07. > :11:16.Inadvertent leak disingenuously misleading the House. Disingenuous.
:11:17. > :11:22.If someone is disingenuous, there can be nothing inadvertent about it.
:11:23. > :11:29.I would have thought he was well educated enough to recognise that.
:11:30. > :11:32.Do get it right, man! The point has been made. Sorry to test your
:11:33. > :11:39.patience, but it is important to understand that we take the words of
:11:40. > :11:43.our ambassadors seriously. I spoke to Matthew Rycroft only a few days
:11:44. > :11:47.ago. We are the pen holders at the UN Security Council and I want to
:11:48. > :11:50.make sure that there is a phone call between him and the honourable lady
:11:51. > :11:54.so he can explain the processes of the United Nations so she becomes
:11:55. > :11:59.aware that we will not get a Security Council resolution passed
:12:00. > :12:03.until we get the cessation of hostilities in place. Progress apart
:12:04. > :12:16.from anything else has been clay seal. Far, far, far too slow. We
:12:17. > :12:26.need to speed up. Mr Speaker, the Foreign Secretary raised the case to
:12:27. > :12:30.do with this last year in November. Our commissioner is raising this as
:12:31. > :12:32.well, including discussions with North Cyprus. We will continue to
:12:33. > :12:40.post to see those guilty of the murder of George Lowe brought to
:12:41. > :12:43.justice. Can I thank the foreign office for its hard work in trying
:12:44. > :12:47.to secure justice for both George Lowe and Ben Barker. Natural justice
:12:48. > :12:53.demands that people should not be able to simply walk away from
:12:54. > :12:57.custody when they are accused of murder. Northern Cyprus has allowed
:12:58. > :13:03.this to happen with one of the suspects, and it is feared the other
:13:04. > :13:12.will follow. Can he reassure the families that every effort can be
:13:13. > :13:16.made to make Northern Cyprus halal, decency to prevail? The House will
:13:17. > :13:22.not be aware of this. This has been a delicate carries and I commend the
:13:23. > :13:26.work he has done in order to work with the families. I assure him that
:13:27. > :13:31.the Minister from Europe is fully engaged, as our FCO officials to
:13:32. > :13:35.provide support for both families. He will realise that because it
:13:36. > :13:40.involves North Cyprus, we cannot speak to widely of what discussions
:13:41. > :13:46.are taking place. I assure him we're working hard to make sure justice is
:13:47. > :13:51.seen to follow. This has been a complicated case, but they have been
:13:52. > :13:54.too many complicated cases involving British National is in the various
:13:55. > :13:58.different parts of Cyprus. Is not the truth of the matter that until
:13:59. > :14:03.we get a proper settlement of Cyprus so we no longer have a divided
:14:04. > :14:06.island, a divided city, there will be no long-term justice either for
:14:07. > :14:13.the people of this country in Cyprus or for the people of Cyprus. I hope
:14:14. > :14:16.the former Minister for Europe will join me in congratulating the two
:14:17. > :14:19.leaders that are coming together this week. I think my right
:14:20. > :14:25.honourable friend is going to Cyprus in order to push forward what will
:14:26. > :14:30.be money mental discussions that will take place. It will be provide
:14:31. > :14:38.that important solution. I hope that then cases such as this will be
:14:39. > :14:43.resolved faster. With permission, I will answer this question together
:14:44. > :14:48.with question 13. We are concerned by reports about the detention of
:14:49. > :14:51.activists in Colombia, often without trial or access to legal
:14:52. > :14:57.representation. The premise to raised our concerns with the
:14:58. > :15:04.President -- the Primus to raised concerns with the President.
:15:05. > :15:09.Will the Minister urged the Colombian government to release all
:15:10. > :15:18.civil society prisoners as soon as the? We do welcome the arrival of
:15:19. > :15:24.the new amnesty Bill. We believe this will lead to a new benefit for
:15:25. > :15:29.all citizens in the wider region as part of the Colombian peace process.
:15:30. > :15:35.We look forward to all aspects of that law, particularly in regards to
:15:36. > :15:41.disarmament and reintegration. The transition zones are an important if
:15:42. > :15:45.not crucial aspect of the peace agreement. Yet we are hearing
:15:46. > :15:47.reports of living quarters not even started, food so rotten that people
:15:48. > :15:55.are suffering with severe food poisoning, possibly even lethal food
:15:56. > :16:03.poisoning. Indeed water is in scarce supply. Considering this is where
:16:04. > :16:07.the troops are supposed to be gathering, will we put pressure on
:16:08. > :16:12.the Colombian authorities to ensure these transition areas are completed
:16:13. > :16:19.and properly stocked? We do of course have read these matters --
:16:20. > :16:25.raise these matters often and I will relate that back. The United Kingdom
:16:26. > :16:29.has supported the Colombian government throughout the difficult
:16:30. > :16:35.recently concluded and very welcome peace process and pledged continuing
:16:36. > :16:43.support through the UN and EU. Can the Minister outline what
:16:44. > :16:47.specifically will be supported and for the people be included in the
:16:48. > :16:52.discussions on how these funds are allocated? My honourable friend is
:16:53. > :17:00.right, 2016 was a historic year for Colombia and the peace deal ended
:17:01. > :17:03.the longest running conflict in the Western Hemisphere. There is a
:17:04. > :17:15.contribution of ?7.5 million of a trust fund with a big percentage of
:17:16. > :17:23.that going towards de-mining. There is now a paramilitary presence
:17:24. > :17:28.in several of the Colombian departments. Can we ensure that the
:17:29. > :17:33.proliferation of paramilitaries and private armies is counted and the
:17:34. > :17:40.articles of the peace process are upheld? I can confirm that we are of
:17:41. > :17:43.course concerned by reports of violence against tumour rights
:17:44. > :17:48.defenders which has increased in 2016. Of course, these attacks have
:17:49. > :18:03.increased in areas where they are written -- withdrawing.
:18:04. > :18:17.Mr Speaker, despite the signing of the partnership for the peace
:18:18. > :18:20.agreement, there were extrajudicial killings. The Saudi led coalition
:18:21. > :18:26.was formed following the alleged at request of the President as set out
:18:27. > :18:39.in the UN resolution to 216, added is in this context that the UK
:18:40. > :18:42.supports this. It beggars belief that the Saudi coalition is
:18:43. > :18:45.routinely targeting air strikes at cattle markets, dairy farms, food
:18:46. > :18:50.factories and other agricultural infrastructure. Can the minister
:18:51. > :18:57.explained why they are doing that and why we are supporting them? Mr
:18:58. > :19:02.Speaker, we are not supporting them doing that, as she can imagine. We
:19:03. > :19:10.are working very closely with the Saudi Arabians and the coalition to
:19:11. > :19:14.make sure that their standards of protocols to meet international
:19:15. > :19:17.standards that we expect, should we be involved ourselves. Much of the
:19:18. > :19:22.information from the battlefield is very unclear indeed, and we do
:19:23. > :19:27.enforce transparency in a way that Saudi Arabians and many other
:19:28. > :19:32.coalitions have never seen before. Does my honourable friend agree that
:19:33. > :19:36.since the Saudi led coalition intends to restore the legitimate
:19:37. > :19:42.government in the Yemen, it is clearly right and proper that we
:19:43. > :19:45.should support them? My right and will friend, he knows the region
:19:46. > :19:48.well. He is absolutely right. I will make it very clear that the
:19:49. > :19:53.coalition has made errors, it has made mistakes. It has not endured
:19:54. > :19:56.sustained warfare in this manner before. It is having to meet
:19:57. > :20:00.international standards like never before. It is having to provide
:20:01. > :20:04.reports on when it makes mistakes, it has never done that before. It
:20:05. > :20:07.has not had the experience of writing a report before. It is now
:20:08. > :20:11.wanted to meet those standards, wanting to work with the
:20:12. > :20:15.international community and we need to make sure that when errors are
:20:16. > :20:21.made, it puts it stand-up in the same way we do or the Americans did
:20:22. > :20:26.in Afghanistan a few months ago. Given that Saudi Arabia has admitted
:20:27. > :20:29.using illegal cluster bombs in Yemen, what consequence or sanction
:20:30. > :20:35.is being considered or planned by the UK government against Saudi
:20:36. > :20:43.Arabia given this breach of humanitarian law? If I may attempt
:20:44. > :20:48.to correct the honourable gentleman, they are not illegal because this
:20:49. > :20:54.country has not signed up to the Munitions Convention. Therefore, it
:20:55. > :20:56.is in their right, indeed any country's right to use these
:20:57. > :21:00.munitions if they wish. As I mentioned earlier, I have encourage
:21:01. > :21:05.them not only to make sure that they have actually destroyed all cluster
:21:06. > :21:10.munitions that we sold to them in the past but get rid of their entire
:21:11. > :21:15.Arsenal of cluster munitions and signed the convention. Has the
:21:16. > :21:21.minister spoke to the coalition about the long-standing threat from
:21:22. > :21:26.Al-Qaeda and Daesh in Yemen which threatens not only them but our
:21:27. > :21:33.security at home? In all of our discussions with Saudi Arabians,
:21:34. > :21:41.learning to conduct warfare in the standards we expect, the absence of
:21:42. > :21:51.a solution allows integration of the body such as Daesh. And also
:21:52. > :21:53.Al-Qaeda. The port was run by that terrorist organisation, and there
:21:54. > :21:59.are more terrorist attacks plotted in the peninsulas by Al-Qaeda then
:22:00. > :22:02.any other wings of Al-Qaeda itself. It is important we were called out
:22:03. > :22:09.coalition friends to make sure we defeat extremism in Yemen. Can I
:22:10. > :22:12.endeavour to make a better case for Britain's policy in the Yemen
:22:13. > :22:18.tragedy and the minister did in his earlier replies. Could he make clear
:22:19. > :22:21.the value to our security and also to our dynamic aerospace industry of
:22:22. > :22:31.our relationship with the Saudis and the Gulf states and also because as
:22:32. > :22:45.of the UK and the international community of the expansionist
:22:46. > :22:50.approach of the Saudi regime. They are important ally. Their security
:22:51. > :22:53.is our security. They are not used to conducting such sustained warfare
:22:54. > :22:56.and they need to learn. We are standing with them to make sure they
:22:57. > :22:59.are learning lessons and make sure that we work towards peace in Yemen
:23:00. > :23:08.for all of the reasons we have discussed in the chamber today.
:23:09. > :23:18.Number five, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, thank you. I have indeed spoken to
:23:19. > :23:25.the Israeli prime and -- Prime Minister on this matter on December
:23:26. > :23:28.23. I raised illegal settlements. I probably spoke for a large majority
:23:29. > :23:33.of people in this House when I said that I am a strong, passionate
:23:34. > :23:37.supporter of the state of Israel. But I also believe that the
:23:38. > :23:47.continued expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank is by
:23:48. > :23:54.no means conducive to peace. I thank him for his response. Could he
:23:55. > :24:02.further advise what assessments his government has made of the Israeli
:24:03. > :24:05.government's intent to comply with the resolution on illegal
:24:06. > :24:12.settlements? That is clearly a matter for the Israeli government. I
:24:13. > :24:19.will repeat our position that we believe that settlements in the West
:24:20. > :24:23.Bank are illegal and the 20th cent expansion we have seen in a
:24:24. > :24:30.settlements since 2009 is a threat to the peace process, and that is
:24:31. > :24:33.why we resolved as we did. Of course, there has been a certain
:24:34. > :24:38.amount of argument about that and a certain amount of pushback from the
:24:39. > :24:44.Israeli government. But you will find there is a wide measure of
:24:45. > :24:48.international support. It is in no way diminishing the Government's
:24:49. > :24:56.strong support for a Jewish homeland in Israel. Is there anything in the
:24:57. > :25:03.substantial analysis presented by Secretary Kerry on the 28th of
:25:04. > :25:14.December following resolution that the Foreign Secretary doesn't agree
:25:15. > :25:22.with? Let me just repeat my point which is that I think that John
:25:23. > :25:26.Kerry was completely right to draw attention to the illegal settlements
:25:27. > :25:32.and he was right to draw attention to the substance of the resolution
:25:33. > :25:36.to 334. I would remind the House that the UK was closely involved in
:25:37. > :25:43.the drafting of that resolution. It was an Egyptian generated resolution
:25:44. > :25:47.and we only supported it because it contained a new language, pointing
:25:48. > :25:54.out the information of terrorism that Israel suffers everyday, not
:25:55. > :25:58.least on the Sunday, when there was an attack injuries. I was glad that
:25:59. > :26:02.that resolution identified that aspect of the crisis in the Middle
:26:03. > :26:08.East. I think John Kerry was absolutely right to point out the
:26:09. > :26:13.rounded nature of that resolution. May I paid to beauty to John Kerry,
:26:14. > :26:20.who is shortly to step down as Secretary of State, for his tireless
:26:21. > :26:21.work for peace, not just in Israel, Palestine, but across the wider
:26:22. > :26:46.Middle East. "The Cessation of activities is
:26:47. > :26:50.essential for a resolution". Given the meetings the Foreign Secretary
:26:51. > :26:54.has had with members of the incoming administration in the US, does he
:26:55. > :27:03.think that is a view that is shared by President elect Trump? I think it
:27:04. > :27:10.is a widespread view in Washington and across the UN Security Council
:27:11. > :27:13.that settlements are illegal, and that's why the resolution went
:27:14. > :27:20.through as it did without any opposition. To answer the right
:27:21. > :27:26.honourable gentleman's question directly, frankly speaking it is too
:27:27. > :27:30.early to say exactly what the administration to be will decide on
:27:31. > :27:34.this matter, but he can rest assured that the British Government will
:27:35. > :27:41.continue to make the point that we have, not because we are hostile to
:27:42. > :27:46.Israel, on the contrary, because we wish to support the state of Israel.
:27:47. > :27:53.Let me try to get this right. The British ambassador is summoned
:27:54. > :27:58.formally in Israel because of the way the UK voted at the UN Security
:27:59. > :28:03.Council, but meanwhile in the UK, and employee of the Israeli embassy
:28:04. > :28:06.is caught on film conspiring with a British civil servant to take down a
:28:07. > :28:09.senior Minister in his own department, the chairman of the
:28:10. > :28:12.foreign affairs select committee and other members of this House, the
:28:13. > :28:16.Israeli ambassador makes a couple of phone calls and all is forgiven. Can
:28:17. > :28:20.be Foreign Secretary enlighten us on the thinking behind this? I
:28:21. > :28:26.certainly can enlighten the House in the sense that, as my right on a
:28:27. > :28:32.friend points out, the Israeli ambassador made a very full apology
:28:33. > :28:38.for what had taken place, and the gentleman in question, the diplomat
:28:39. > :28:46.in question, no longer seems to be a functionary of the embassy in
:28:47. > :28:49.London. Whatever he may exact have been doing here, his cover can be
:28:50. > :28:57.said to have been well and truly blown, and I think we should have
:28:58. > :29:01.said the matter closed. Progress is lamentably slow. One question is
:29:02. > :29:07.will be cut off because there are people lower down big paper who must
:29:08. > :29:13.be reached. If a UK embassy official had been caught on film in Tel Aviv,
:29:14. > :29:16.talking about taking down an Israeli Minister, they would have been
:29:17. > :29:19.booted out of the country without further ceremony, so why did that
:29:20. > :29:25.not happen in this case question what is the Foreign Secretary showed
:29:26. > :29:28.even a tiny bit of resolve in such matters, perhaps Israeli diplomats
:29:29. > :29:37.would not talk about him in such disparaging terms. Divide audible
:29:38. > :29:41.gentleman seems to have been failing to pay attention, which is that the
:29:42. > :29:46.Israeli diplomat in question is no longer doing his job here in London,
:29:47. > :29:51.whatever his job is, he is no longer doing it here in this city. The
:29:52. > :29:55.Israeli ambassador has made a full apology for the matter in question.
:29:56. > :30:01.I am happy to consider the matter closed. Will the Secretary of State
:30:02. > :30:06.agreed to meet with me and colleagues to discuss our graves
:30:07. > :30:10.concerned about resolution 234 for which my constituents believe will
:30:11. > :30:20.make these harder to achieve in the middle east? I am grateful, we are
:30:21. > :30:26.happy to offer exactly such a consultation with colleagues, and I
:30:27. > :30:30.know that my honourable friend the Minister has already undertaken to
:30:31. > :30:35.do just that. I am sure that the whole House will join me in
:30:36. > :30:39.condemning the horrific attack on Sunday on Israeli soldiers in
:30:40. > :30:43.Jerusalem. Mr Speaker, we will never achieve a lasting peace in the
:30:44. > :30:47.Middle East until the state of Israel, its soldiers and civilians,
:30:48. > :30:51.are free from the threat of terror. No, Mr Speaker, will be achieve that
:30:52. > :30:55.lasting peace and to all sides accept a two state solution, and
:30:56. > :31:03.until a viable Palestinian state can be built free from illegal
:31:04. > :31:06.settlements. In these allegedly frank discussions with the incoming
:31:07. > :31:11.Tom administration on Sunday, was the Foreign Secretary frank about
:31:12. > :31:15.those points to, and if so, what response did he receive? The answer
:31:16. > :31:17.is yes to the first question, and the answer to the second is wait and
:31:18. > :31:38.see. Where is the next fellow?
:31:39. > :31:41.Question seven. First of all, let me repeat the condolences that we have
:31:42. > :31:47.offered, I am sure many members will want to join me in offering to the
:31:48. > :31:52.people of Germany in the terrible attack they sustained on December
:31:53. > :31:56.19, and we continue to work with our German counterparts to strengthen
:31:57. > :32:04.our mutual security will stop we have superb relations with Germany,
:32:05. > :32:07.and it is vital, both going through the Brexit process and beyond that
:32:08. > :32:12.we deepen and intensified that friendship.
:32:13. > :32:16.May I associate myself with my right on both and's expression of
:32:17. > :32:20.condolence to the people of Burlington. Given that Germany is a
:32:21. > :32:23.net exporter to the United Kingdom, I would not want its economy
:32:24. > :32:27.affected to the imposition of tariffs must what extra is being
:32:28. > :32:29.done to build diplomatic relations for the benefit of future reciprocal
:32:30. > :32:35.free trade between our two countries? I am grateful because as
:32:36. > :32:40.my honourable friend will know very well there is now a big operation
:32:41. > :32:46.going on by UK TI, by British diplomacy, to point out the salient
:32:47. > :32:51.fact that German investment in this country is responsible for about
:32:52. > :32:56.344,000 jobs here in the UK. UK investment in Germany is responsible
:32:57. > :33:01.for 222,000 jobs. It would be the height of insanity to imperil either
:33:02. > :33:05.of those sets of investments. Mr Speaker, the Foreign Secretary
:33:06. > :33:11.spoke of the relationship with Germany as being a very good and
:33:12. > :33:15.very special one, but isn't it the fact that many leading Germans are
:33:16. > :33:21.concerned about Britain leaving the EU and the impact that has on the
:33:22. > :33:25.security of Europe, particularly our commitment to Nato, given the
:33:26. > :33:33.instability that we see in Russia? Well, I think the right on gentleman
:33:34. > :33:37.asked and astute question. Of all the countries in Europe that care
:33:38. > :33:41.about our departure, I would say it is certainly the Germans that have
:33:42. > :33:44.been most psychologically and emotionally affected by the
:33:45. > :33:57.referendum result. That is why I think my honourable friend's friend
:33:58. > :34:02.is so astute. We contribute 25% of the EU's defence expenditure, but
:34:03. > :34:07.that will continue because we may be leaving the EU, but we are not
:34:08. > :34:16.leaving Europe. Our commitment to your's defence is undiminished.
:34:17. > :34:19.Question eight. Thanks to our historical
:34:20. > :34:24.connections, our shared economic interests that include foreign
:34:25. > :34:26.policy, defence, security, trade and culture, we have exceptionally
:34:27. > :34:32.strong relationships with our GCC nations. This was reflected in the
:34:33. > :34:35.warm reception the Prime Minister received when she attended the GCC
:34:36. > :34:43.summit in November, and established a new UK GCC strategic partnership.
:34:44. > :34:47.So does the Minister agree with me that Britain has a unique
:34:48. > :34:52.competitive advantage in securing a free-trade agreement with the GCC
:34:53. > :34:58.due to those desired sectors, our long-standing friendship, and also
:34:59. > :35:00.the GCC's own desire for economic diversification? My honourable
:35:01. > :35:03.friend is absolutely right, and that is one of the reasons why the
:35:04. > :35:07.Chancellor visited the region a couple of weeks ago, to enforce
:35:08. > :35:10.those exact points. I am sure that once the Brexit discussions have
:35:11. > :35:15.moved forward that one of the first areas that will be consolidating in
:35:16. > :35:23.the trade agreement will be with GCC nations.
:35:24. > :35:29.In December, the spokesman for the Prime Minister said this was not the
:35:30. > :35:34.governor's view, so whose view was the Foreign Secretary expressing?
:35:35. > :35:38.Further to our relationships with the GCC nations, these are countries
:35:39. > :35:42.that are advancing, these are very new. Saudi Arabia only became an
:35:43. > :35:47.independent country in modern times in 1932. It is because of this close
:35:48. > :35:51.relationship that we have in a wide variety of sectors and the trust
:35:52. > :35:53.that we have, that we are encouraging these countries to
:35:54. > :36:02.advance in government systems as well. The diplomatic stature of the
:36:03. > :36:15.GCC has risen to six only -- significantly into recent years, not
:36:16. > :36:20.least due to... With regard to the impasse in Middle East states, does
:36:21. > :36:25.he believe the time is now right for Arab states and GCC to make an
:36:26. > :36:30.approach and initiative to move this process forward? I know this is
:36:31. > :36:34.something that is close to his heart and he worked hard on this when he
:36:35. > :36:39.was the Minister for the middle east, and he is right, that as the
:36:40. > :36:43.GCC grows in Powys and strength, and in its authority, it has an
:36:44. > :36:46.important role to play in arguably what is one of the longest concerns
:36:47. > :36:54.that has been running since the occupation began of the occupied
:36:55. > :36:59.territories, a visitor years ago, and in this year that we mark the
:37:00. > :37:08.declaration, I hope this is the year that we make progress.
:37:09. > :37:13.The GCC countries have in excess of 100,000 troops, they are up against
:37:14. > :37:15.a rebel group in Yemen who have been involved in killings, who are trying
:37:16. > :37:21.to overthrow the country, who are involved in torture and the report
:37:22. > :37:26.puts the number of child soldiers in the rebel group at 30%. Isn't that
:37:27. > :37:32.the biggest challenge, and shouldn't we be supporting the GCC? I agree
:37:33. > :37:35.that it is one of the biggest challenges. We forget that this is
:37:36. > :37:39.their neighbourhood. This is their backyard. This is where they want to
:37:40. > :37:43.make sure that they have security, in the same way that we want
:37:44. > :37:47.regional security, wherever that may be. Certainly near where we live and
:37:48. > :37:51.work and want to raise families. That is the same in GCC nations, and
:37:52. > :37:53.it is something I will explore more when we have this debate on
:37:54. > :38:04.Thursday. Question nine.
:38:05. > :38:07.Thank you, Mr Speaker. We have as you can imagine, regular
:38:08. > :38:13.consultations about the future shape of our diplomatic nations with the
:38:14. > :38:19.rest of the EU, but the honourable lady should understand that we may
:38:20. > :38:22.be leaving the EU but we are not leaving Europe we will continue to
:38:23. > :38:29.collaborate on all the issues that are vital in macro fight the
:38:30. > :38:35.important to us. I welcome that answer. Free movement is a key issue
:38:36. > :38:38.for our discussions with our EU counterparts. Has the Government
:38:39. > :38:43.considered therefore that in order to get the best possible access to
:38:44. > :38:46.the European single market, proposing a managed migration
:38:47. > :38:50.system, which still gives preference to EU workers, welcoming those with
:38:51. > :38:56.high skills but limiting the numbers of lower skilled workers coming into
:38:57. > :38:59.work? I hope she will forgive me that this would come under the
:39:00. > :39:06.category of giving a running commentary on our negotiations. We
:39:07. > :39:10.cannot do that and the right honourable lady on the front bench
:39:11. > :39:19.says Brexit means Brexit and she is perfectly right.
:39:20. > :39:24.Thank you, Mr Speaker. With my right honourable friend agree that, given
:39:25. > :39:28.the trade ties she has already mentioned, and the fact that we are
:39:29. > :39:32.your's largest dispense contributor, we shouldn't has to make deals on
:39:33. > :39:35.immigration and free movement in order to secure a good trade
:39:36. > :39:42.agreement with our allies and friends in Europe. May I begin by
:39:43. > :39:46.congratulating my right honourable friend on his well-deserved
:39:47. > :39:52.knighthood in the New Year's honours list, and I think he speaks very
:39:53. > :39:57.good sense. I hesitate to... In fact I will agree with him completely
:39:58. > :39:59.without being convicted of giving a running commentary on our
:40:00. > :40:03.negotiations, so thank you very much.
:40:04. > :40:08.Has the Foreign Secretary given any commentary at all to his own
:40:09. > :40:12.officials such as Sir Ivan Rogers, who left the service because he said
:40:13. > :40:17.that he had not been given any sense of what the negotiating objectives
:40:18. > :40:24.were of the Government. Could you perhaps give a clue as to what the
:40:25. > :40:28.Department intends to do? I must tell the right honourable gentleman
:40:29. > :40:35.that if you consult the speeches of the Prime Minister more closely, he
:40:36. > :40:39.will discover a wealth of information about our negotiating
:40:40. > :40:42.position, but I do not honour since he has not bothered to do that, I do
:40:43. > :40:49.not propose to enlighten him. Except to say that Sir Ivan Rogers did an
:40:50. > :40:55.excellent job, he always gave me very good advice. I think his
:40:56. > :41:00.reasons for stepping down early work persuasive. Said Tim Barrow as
:41:01. > :41:06.anyone has worked with him, and people on both sides of the House
:41:07. > :41:11.will have done, we'll know he is an outstanding public servant with
:41:12. > :41:14.long-standing experience of UK representation in Brussels, and will
:41:15. > :41:19.do a superb job in the forthcoming talks.
:41:20. > :41:24.I'm sure my honourable friend will agree that not only diplomatic
:41:25. > :41:27.relationships are important but relationships to members of this
:41:28. > :41:33.House and European partners are important. Membership of the Council
:41:34. > :41:36.of Europe, of all-party groups, has never been more important. Can he
:41:37. > :41:40.give the assurance that his Department will assist in every way
:41:41. > :41:45.to make sure that bilateral relationships exist between mems of
:41:46. > :41:52.this House and Europe will be encouraged? I'm happy to give that
:41:53. > :41:55.assurance to my honourable friend. As he will know, there are
:41:56. > :41:59.Parliamentary bodies of one party or another that have links with sister
:42:00. > :42:08.parties across the continent and we will do everything we can to promote
:42:09. > :42:12.that in the years ahead. On behalf of these benches, can I pay tribute
:42:13. > :42:19.to the long and distinct wish career of Sir Ivan Rogers? He served
:42:20. > :42:21.successive governments with great distinction and most of the
:42:22. > :42:25.Secretary of State's predecessors had the good sense to appreciate it.
:42:26. > :42:32.Pity he couldn't until the just now when Mike honourable friend managed
:42:33. > :42:36.to press him. In his resignation letter, Sir Ivan said that contrary
:42:37. > :42:42.to the beliefs of some, free trade does not just happen. Can the
:42:43. > :42:50.Secretary of State explain who Sir Ivan had in mind? I think I have
:42:51. > :42:58.given my views about Sir Ivan. I'm happy to repeat them which I think
:42:59. > :43:06.is that he is an amazing public servant. I must say that it is vital
:43:07. > :43:09.for officials to continue to give their unvarnished views of matters,
:43:10. > :43:16.such as the ease of negotiating free-trade deals. It isn't
:43:17. > :43:19.necessarily going to be simple, but there is no reason to think why it
:43:20. > :43:24.can't be done speedily and there is no reason to think why we can't have
:43:25. > :43:26.fantastic free-trade deals, not least with the United States of
:43:27. > :43:42.America. Question ten, Mr Speaker. I am grateful to the right or lady.
:43:43. > :43:46.We're using every forum at our disposal to try to encourage both
:43:47. > :43:52.sides to get to the negotiating table. It is deeply frustrating. I
:43:53. > :43:59.John honourable members on both sides who condemned the appalling
:44:00. > :44:04.attack and murder of four Israeli soldiers at the weekend. All I can
:44:05. > :44:10.say is I've repeat what we said. The only way forward has got to be a two
:44:11. > :44:15.state solution, and that was why it was important to restate the
:44:16. > :44:22.Government's position in the resolution. The general secretary of
:44:23. > :44:26.the UN has warned about Iran's activities, bombing Hezbollah in
:44:27. > :44:32.Lebanon from their base in Syria. What can the Foreign Secretary do to
:44:33. > :44:39.combat this minutes to the prospects of any peace in the region? I think
:44:40. > :44:46.it is important to recognise that Iran is a malign influence across
:44:47. > :44:52.the region, and we must be vigilant about what they are doing. On the
:44:53. > :45:08.other hand, you have got to engage with Iran and the JCP OA wraps since
:45:09. > :45:14.Asa Tatchell way forward -- represents a substantial way
:45:15. > :45:17.forward. What effect does he think the current global of Palestinian
:45:18. > :45:28.violence is going to have on the peace process? Is my honourable
:45:29. > :45:40.friend will know, the level of violence has been down by comparison
:45:41. > :45:43.with 2015, but it is still too high. It is a board that the resolution
:45:44. > :45:46.that has been discussed this morning did have that balance in it, and
:45:47. > :45:51.there was that language in it, pointing out the threat that Israel
:45:52. > :45:56.faces, and it is important that we stress that. And that we encourage
:45:57. > :46:04.Palestinians to understand there can be no hope of peace unless they get
:46:05. > :46:07.their extremists under control. I'm pleased the borrowed secretary is
:46:08. > :46:11.using every forum to bring peace will stop will he therefore be
:46:12. > :46:14.attending the Paris conference, and what new initiative for the UK
:46:15. > :46:19.government be putting forward back? I can certainly assure the right
:46:20. > :46:25.honourable gentleman that the UK government will be attending the
:46:26. > :46:31.Paris talks. We will be be enforcing our message, which is that we think
:46:32. > :46:36.both sides must get round the table and negotiate, and that is the only
:46:37. > :46:41.way forward, and that it would be folly now to abandon a two state
:46:42. > :46:47.solution. A one state solution is not in the interests of Israel.
:46:48. > :46:52.Number 11, Mr Speaker. The Government regularly receives
:46:53. > :46:57.reports of sectarian attacks on Christian and other minority groups
:46:58. > :47:07.in the Middle East was to work with all governments and North North
:47:08. > :47:15.African governments to tackle this violence. The persecution of
:47:16. > :47:29.Christians across the Middle East is way to -- is way too common. I
:47:30. > :47:35.welcome the work that has been done such as he has done to promote those
:47:36. > :47:40.charities. I look forward to reading their report which is due out
:47:41. > :47:51.tomorrow. They do make -- they have a major contribution to the thoughts
:47:52. > :47:55.of governments. Will the governor to ensure we do every thing we can to
:47:56. > :48:00.make sure that this is recognised as genocide in the International
:48:01. > :48:06.courts? I have said in this House that I do believe that acts of
:48:07. > :48:11.genocide have taken place. It is not my view that counts. It is whether
:48:12. > :48:14.we can legally prove that. As we have debated, it is important that
:48:15. > :48:18.we collect the evidence. I'm sure the House will be delighted to know
:48:19. > :48:21.that it has been confirmed that the Foreign Secretary joint other
:48:22. > :48:26.countries including Iraq at the General assembly to launch the work
:48:27. > :48:32.to be done to collect the evidence to make sure that we can hold those
:48:33. > :48:35.that are actually conducting these activities to account. I could not
:48:36. > :48:52.be for grateful to the Minister. Mr Speaker, thank you. I have come
:48:53. > :48:58.back this morning from the United States, where I have been discussing
:48:59. > :49:04.these issues with the incoming administration. It was clear that
:49:05. > :49:09.there is a wide measure of agreement tween us over the challenges that we
:49:10. > :49:20.face, and I can assure the House that Arab embassy in Washington is
:49:21. > :49:27.engaging and the primer stuff's -- Prime Minister's office are engaging
:49:28. > :49:34.with the incoming administration to build on those areas of agreement.
:49:35. > :49:37.What talks specifically with regard to security and trade did my right
:49:38. > :49:48.honourable friend had with congressional leaders?
:49:49. > :49:57.I have the House, there was a huge fund of goodwill for the United
:49:58. > :50:01.Kingdom on Capitol Hill. And a very large measure of understanding that
:50:02. > :50:05.now is the time to do a free-trade deal. They want to do it, they want
:50:06. > :50:13.to do it fast, and that understanding with most vivid on the
:50:14. > :50:22.part of the incoming administration. Order, topical questions. As the
:50:23. > :50:28.fellow manifested himself? Rebecca Powell is. Topical mother to, Mr
:50:29. > :50:48.Speaker. -- topical number two. We will build a stronger working
:50:49. > :50:52.relationship with the US administration. As I have said, I
:50:53. > :50:58.have just returned from the US to further that ambition. As this is
:50:59. > :51:03.the last SCO questions before the end of the Obama administration, let
:51:04. > :51:10.me repeat formally my thanks to John Kerry for his tireless dedication.
:51:11. > :51:15.Illegal trading in wildlife is now the fourth most lucrative
:51:16. > :51:20.transnational crime and has a hugely destabilising effect on habitats and
:51:21. > :51:23.many communities. On this note, can the Minister tell me what his
:51:24. > :51:27.Department is doing to help combat the poaching of illegal ivory
:51:28. > :51:33.trading in Africa? Thank you. We have made it clear in
:51:34. > :51:37.this government that combating illegal wildlife trade is our
:51:38. > :51:43.priority, one of our priorities. We have a dedicated team in London,
:51:44. > :51:53.working with my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for
:51:54. > :51:56.DEFRA. As the lady will know, the Secretary of State came back from a
:51:57. > :52:11.highly successful conference in Hanoi on ivory trade. We are
:52:12. > :52:21.supporting without funds... Let me tell the right honourable lady who
:52:22. > :52:26.mocks the elephants... The number of elephants are damaging by 8% every
:52:27. > :52:31.year. It is thanks to the efforts of this government that that issue is
:52:32. > :52:34.being raised up the international agenda again. We are spending
:52:35. > :52:39.considerable sums of money to support those who are combating the
:52:40. > :52:42.poachers. All questions and answers need to be extremely brief,
:52:43. > :52:52.irrespective of how distinguished those who put them are or judge
:52:53. > :52:59.themselves to be. Mr Alex Salmond. When the right honourable gentleman
:53:00. > :53:04.was a columnist, he was a supporter of some aspects of President Putin's
:53:05. > :53:08.policies. When he became Foreign Secretary, he became hostile to
:53:09. > :53:11.foreign policy in Russia. He is pursuing a twin track policy which
:53:12. > :53:16.means we will be supportive and hostile at the same time. At what
:53:17. > :53:25.time during his visit to Trump Towers did he decide to blizzard was
:53:26. > :53:34.the best policy? -- duplicity was the best policy. I have never said I
:53:35. > :53:40.was a supporter of President Putin's activities in Syria. It is important
:53:41. > :53:45.to understand that although Russia is doing many bad things, and what
:53:46. > :53:49.they have done with cyber warfare, there is no doubt they are up to no
:53:50. > :54:00.good, but it is also important for us to recognise that there may be
:54:01. > :54:07.areas where we can work together, that is what we should do. Does my
:54:08. > :54:13.right honourable friend agree that until the divisions between the
:54:14. > :54:19.Sunnis and Shias are short, there cannot be peace and prosperity in
:54:20. > :54:22.the region? What role does Britain play in that process? It is such a
:54:23. > :54:29.fundamental question because very cold war feel between them and yet
:54:30. > :54:33.the difference is actually almost insignificant. They agree on the
:54:34. > :54:39.centrality of the Prophet Muhammad. The big issue is about succession,
:54:40. > :54:41.whether it was the cousin and son-in-law, or whether it was the
:54:42. > :54:47.father-in-law. She is absolutely right. When these two sides
:54:48. > :54:55.reconcile, peace and prosperity will improve and all of... As I had been
:54:56. > :55:02.advised, we don't need a lecture in each of these cases. We need a pithy
:55:03. > :55:08.question and a pithy reply. On Sunday, the Foreign Secretary met
:55:09. > :55:13.with Donald Trump's chief strategist, a man whose website is
:55:14. > :55:18.synonymous with anti-Semitism, racism, misogyny, homophobia, hero
:55:19. > :55:20.worship of Vladimir Putin and the promotion of extremist far right
:55:21. > :55:29.movements across the world. Can I asked you for an secretary, how did
:55:30. > :55:35.he and Mr Bannon get on? I don't wish to embarrass any member of the
:55:36. > :55:42.incoming administration by describing the regular or otherwise
:55:43. > :55:46.of our relationship. But the meetings were productive. There was
:55:47. > :55:49.a wide measure of agreement between the UK and the incoming head
:55:50. > :55:53.ministrations about the way forward. We intend to build on those areas of
:55:54. > :56:07.agreement. When the Russian air force skirts
:56:08. > :56:12.along British air force, RAF pilots fly typhoons to see them. Does my
:56:13. > :56:16.right honourable friend believe that our sanctions against Russia are
:56:17. > :56:22.hitting the target is just as effectively as our RAF pilots? I am
:56:23. > :56:25.very grateful because I think it is important for the house to keep in
:56:26. > :56:33.mind the importance of these sanctions. I have to save the
:56:34. > :56:37.support for sanctions against Russia, for incidents over Ukraine,
:56:38. > :56:41.is not as strong as it should be in other parts of the EU and the UK is
:56:42. > :56:47.in the lead in keeping the pressure on. Following his trip to America,
:56:48. > :56:52.how confident is the Foreign Secretary that we might have a US-
:56:53. > :56:57.UK free trade agreement on the table within the next couple of years? Is
:56:58. > :57:06.there an appetite for it to be based on mutual admiration rather than
:57:07. > :57:11.single opposition? My enthusiasm is nothing compared to our friends on
:57:12. > :57:14.the other side of the Atlantic. We will get a good deal, but it's got
:57:15. > :57:22.to be a good deal for the UK as well. The Minister tell me what it
:57:23. > :57:25.is doing to ensure lessons of the past are learned and proper
:57:26. > :57:32.stabilisation and reconstruction planning is in place for Mosul once
:57:33. > :57:42.the city is liberated? We do not learn the lessons of the lessons
:57:43. > :57:47.were not learnt in 2013 when the moderate Sunni voices were not
:57:48. > :57:53.listen to. Extremism is flourishing across north-east Africa and the
:57:54. > :58:00.Middle East unless we engage with those moderates. Planning needs to
:58:01. > :58:06.be done before the guns fall silent. Did he make it clear that the United
:58:07. > :58:09.Kingdom will not share intelligence with his Administration if his
:58:10. > :58:18.administration is to use it down in a association with a revived US
:58:19. > :58:23.torture programme? -- in association. We do not discuss
:58:24. > :58:35.intelligent berry-macro intelligence matters or the operational nature.
:58:36. > :58:41.Does my right honourable friend share my concern that a prompt 's
:58:42. > :58:52.statement was not issued over the murder of Israeli soldiers. Refusal
:58:53. > :58:58.to meet face-to-face is the major problem with a two state proposal?
:58:59. > :59:03.The resolution has been characterised as a settlement
:59:04. > :59:09.resolution. It also contains valuable language about terrorism,
:59:10. > :59:15.but there can be no lasting solution for that part of the world unless
:59:16. > :59:21.there is better leadership of the Palestinians and unless they
:59:22. > :59:25.renounced terror. Next week the new president is due to be sworn in
:59:26. > :59:30.except the current president is refusing to budge. The people of
:59:31. > :59:34.Gambia have voted to end 22 years of civil liberties and human rights
:59:35. > :59:38.abuses at the hands of the president. But the Foreign Secretary
:59:39. > :59:42.during his counterparts around the world in telling him that he has
:59:43. > :59:48.eight days to get out of office? Not in so many words, but I did have the
:59:49. > :59:54.chance to congratulate the president elect. The will of the Gambian
:59:55. > :59:58.people should be recognised and the current president should step down.
:59:59. > :00:02.What agreement will they be on policy towards Russia between the
:00:03. > :00:05.British government and the new Administration, given the new
:00:06. > :00:13.administration's indebtedness to President Putin through the leaking
:00:14. > :00:20.and hacking of democratic National committee and the Hillary Clinton
:00:21. > :00:27.each campaign chairman's mouse? First of all, I make no comment on
:00:28. > :00:31.the efficacy, the electoral efficacy of the hacking of the DNC e-mails
:00:32. > :00:36.except to say that it is pretty clear it did come from the Russians.
:00:37. > :00:44.The point we have made to the incoming administration and indeed
:00:45. > :00:50.on Capitol Hill is justice, that as I said earlier on, we think that the
:00:51. > :00:58.Russian states, the Putin Kremlin is up to all sorts of very dirty
:00:59. > :01:04.tricks, such as cyber warfare, but it would be folly for us further to
:01:05. > :01:07.demonise Russia or to push Russia into a corner. So a twin track
:01:08. > :01:13.strategy of engagement and vigilance is what is required. The Foreign
:01:14. > :01:20.Secretary referred to the Middle East process. Secretaries of State
:01:21. > :01:26.Clinton and Kerry failed to get a bilateral agreement between
:01:27. > :01:31.Palestinians and Israelis. Is it not time to go to the international
:01:32. > :01:36.sphere in the sense of the Arab initiative originally in Jude oost
:01:37. > :01:41.by Saudi Arabia in 2002. The only way forward is both sides to get to
:01:42. > :01:47.the negotiating table and recognise that a two state solution is way
:01:48. > :01:52.forward. Does the Foreign Secretary share the concern on both sides of
:01:53. > :01:57.the house at President Erdogan Ozma latest power grab following the
:01:58. > :02:03.retrograde steps he has already taken to Islam miz ath formally
:02:04. > :02:08.secular Turkish society? It is important to recognise that the
:02:09. > :02:16.Turkish state, the Turkish government was the victim of a
:02:17. > :02:21.violent coo in which... And attempted coo in which hundreds of
:02:22. > :02:27.people died. It was entirely wrong of many governments in the EU to
:02:28. > :02:31.instantly condemn Turkey for its response instead of seeing that
:02:32. > :02:36.there is a balance to be struck. Turkey is vital for our collective
:02:37. > :02:42.security. The last thing we need to do is push them away and push them
:02:43. > :02:45.into a corner. Last month a UK Government spokesperson told Sky
:02:46. > :02:54.News that the government is aware of an alleged air strike on a school in
:02:55. > :03:02.Yemen using UK supplied weapons. Can the Minister update us on the
:03:03. > :03:07.progress on this? I don't know the details of that particular report, I
:03:08. > :03:12.have not seen it. I am happy to meet outside the Chamber to discuss it. I
:03:13. > :03:21.will give her a reply in due course or I can give her a public reply in
:03:22. > :03:32.the debate were having on Yemen on Thursday.
:03:33. > :03:42.Well scholarships for students to study in the US continue? We have
:03:43. > :03:57.made additional funding available to ensure 40 scholars to study at
:03:58. > :04:10.university this September. What role can the British government play in
:04:11. > :04:13.the situation in Zimbabwe? Our relationship has been strained
:04:14. > :04:18.because of the current leadership. She speaks of a six-month period,
:04:19. > :04:23.but who knows what will happen? We are working with neighbouring
:04:24. > :04:25.countries to provide support for the people who are suffering more than
:04:26. > :04:35.ever before under the current President's regime. Improving trust
:04:36. > :04:48.and intelligence sharing is vital to the situation in Libya? Would it be
:04:49. > :04:53.prudent to reinstate flights to Sharm el Sheikh? It is true that the
:04:54. > :04:59.loss of UK tourist business to Egypt has been very severe and we are
:05:00. > :05:03.working very hard with our Egyptian counterparts to get the reassurances
:05:04. > :05:07.that we need in order to restore those rights which we all want to
:05:08. > :05:12.happen. Earlier this morning the Minister said that the government
:05:13. > :05:16.only supports UN security resolutions when it knows it can
:05:17. > :05:20.enforce them. So if the Israelis continue with the settlements
:05:21. > :05:31.programme, what steps will be Foreign Secretary take to enforce
:05:32. > :05:36.resolution 2334? The honourable lady will no very well but we are working
:05:37. > :05:45.with our international counterparts to persuade both sides to get to the
:05:46. > :05:49.table, both of the Palestinians to drop the violence and recognise the
:05:50. > :05:53.existence of the state of Israel and show leadership, but also to
:05:54. > :05:56.understand that a two state resolution is the only way forward.
:05:57. > :06:03.It is the best thing for this government to do. Many of my
:06:04. > :06:09.constituents are concerned that the recent UN vote marks a change in the
:06:10. > :06:21.UK's Dalston was Israel? Can the Foreign Secretary confirmed that is
:06:22. > :06:25.not the case? The state of Israel is well-known and is just about the
:06:26. > :06:30.only democracy in that part of the world. It is a free and liberal
:06:31. > :06:35.society, unlike many others in the region. I passionately supports the
:06:36. > :06:47.state of Israel and I think it was important that the government in
:06:48. > :06:53.that resolution 2334 stop by UK policy over settlements and
:06:54. > :07:02.underscored our horror regarding the violence against the people of
:07:03. > :07:07.Israel. Does he find his counterparts somewhat surprised to
:07:08. > :07:13.find a genuine British eccentric holding the position which she
:07:14. > :07:21.holds? Go on, the eccentric! I honestly cannot speak for the
:07:22. > :07:31.response of my counterparts. All I can say is, he can take it in
:07:32. > :07:34.whichever way he chooses, but there was a wide measure of agreement on
:07:35. > :07:42.both sides of the table over some of the problems that our societies
:07:43. > :07:48.face, both in America and in the UK, and in the need for some fresh
:07:49. > :07:53.thinking and the huge potential of the UK and the US to solve those
:07:54. > :07:56.problems. I doubt that the proposition that the Foreign
:07:57. > :08:08.Secretary is an exotic individual will be a subject to -- will be
:08:09. > :08:24.subject to division of the house. We are awaiting another judgment over
:08:25. > :08:32.my constituent Billy Evans. All the situation be derailed because of
:08:33. > :08:37.Brexit? I raised this matter in October when I was in India with the
:08:38. > :08:44.Minister for external affairs. The Prime Minister also raised it. We
:08:45. > :08:48.are pressing for a speedy due process to take place. As she knows,
:08:49. > :08:53.we are awaiting the outcome of the appeal process. My right honourable
:08:54. > :08:58.friend was an outstanding Mayor of London and during his time he was
:08:59. > :09:01.the first champion of the City of London and he was a believer in the
:09:02. > :09:06.value of the single market. Could my right honourable friend now tell us
:09:07. > :09:15.and assure us that in his negotiations, rather his meetings
:09:16. > :09:29.with the incoming trump administration, he ... I think the
:09:30. > :09:40.right honourable lady will find that the City of London has been through
:09:41. > :09:47.all sorts of situations that would lead to its extinction, as some
:09:48. > :09:52.proper sized. The City of London has gone from strength to strength and
:09:53. > :09:59.Canary Wharf alone is now a bigger financial centre than the whole of
:10:00. > :10:02.Frankfurt. I have no doubt, and by the way, this opinion was shared by
:10:03. > :10:07.our friends and counterparts in Washington, I have no doubt that
:10:08. > :10:13.that commercial and financial dominance of the City of London in
:10:14. > :10:22.this hemisphere will continue. Further to the question from the
:10:23. > :10:29.honourable lady from the SNP, we will be looking for more than some
:10:30. > :10:35.twiddling. Does he have a concrete proposal to get those men home? We
:10:36. > :10:37.take the matter seriously and we have raised it on a number of
:10:38. > :10:43.occasions and will continue to do so. We can't interfere in the legal
:10:44. > :10:47.process of another country, but we are doing everything we can to urge
:10:48. > :10:56.a speedy process and making sure the men get help in prison as well.
:10:57. > :11:05.Finally, an immensely patient member of the house. Thank you, Mr Speaker.
:11:06. > :11:08.What support is Her Majesty's Burrnett giving to the welcome moves
:11:09. > :11:13.towards a settlement in the Democratic
:11:14. > :11:19.I had the pleasure of visiting the country last year and I was
:11:20. > :11:23.concerned there was a delay in elections taking place or by the
:11:24. > :11:27.President not recognising that his time is up, something that by
:11:28. > :11:30.honourable friend will be aware of. I am pleased to see political
:11:31. > :11:35.dialogue is being developed and we are only programme to make sure
:11:36. > :11:41.elections are returned to the country very soon to make sure we
:11:42. > :11:44.enforce that to happen but offer our support and assistance to this
:11:45. > :11:49.important country. I am sorry to disappoint remaining colleagues but
:11:50. > :11:53.this Question Time session probably enjoys a greater demand than any
:11:54. > :12:02.other but I am afraid supply is finite. Two hours, the Minister
:12:03. > :12:07.chanters from a sedentary position, he is a member of the executive and
:12:08. > :12:11.if the government wants to take the proposition might be substantial
:12:12. > :12:15.support for it. I tried to expand the envelope but there are limits,
:12:16. > :12:19.if we don't have a longer session, people will have to be brief in
:12:20. > :12:25.questions and answers. Urgent question. John McDonnell. I would
:12:26. > :12:26.support two hours, Mr