Contributions
1,991 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDSaudi Arabia: Human RightsThe hon. Gentleman is right to raise human rights issues. I have explained all the issues—from Raif Badawi to the women’s rights defenders and Khashoggi—which we will always raise…17 Mar 2020HANSARDSaudi Arabia: Human RightsI think that the hon. Gentleman will know that there is a certain limit to what we can actually force Saudi Arabia to do. There has been a trial. There have been criticisms and…17 Mar 2020HANSARDSaudi Arabia: Human RightsMy hon. Friend is right, and we are listened to more because we engage and try to exert positive influence. Equally, however, we will not be shy or retiring in raising those…17 Mar 2020HANSARDSaudi Arabia: Human RightsWe are focused on bringing that terrible conflict—I agree with the hon. Gentleman about that—to an end. We want pressure to be put on the Houthis, and also a positive dynamic.…17 Mar 2020HANSARDSaudi Arabia: Human RightsI thank the hon. Lady for her question. I was not quite clear whether she was talking specifically about Saudi Arabia, but we raise these issues. Obviously the Government and the…17 Mar 2020HANSARDSaudi Arabia: Human RightsI pay tribute to the hon. Lady for her championing of this very important issue. I raised a whole range of cases before the Saudi courts in relation to women’s rights defenders,…17 Mar 2020HANSARDSaudi Arabia: Human RightsI travelled to Riyadh on 4 March to 5 March and met senior Saudis, including His Majesty King Salman and the Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal. We discussed a whole range of…17 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19I thank my hon. Friend, the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee. We are doing our level best as the UK to forge the strongest consensus possible. We have a total aid envelope…17 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19We understand the concern of any constituent who finds themselves in a vulnerable position and also, of course, that of MPs who are trying to do their best. We have beefed up the…17 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19I have to say to the right hon. Lady that I think we have done quite a good job in this House of trying to adopt a bipartisan approach. Whether domestically or internationally,…17 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19I certainly agree with the right hon. Lady that we need a co-ordinated international response, and we need to get better internationally at that—the Prime Minister made that point…17 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19The hon. Lady is absolutely right. On the one hand, we do not want to take precipitate measures, but on the other we do want to take measures to prevent more and more UK…17 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19My hon. Friend is absolutely right that addressing the root causes of covid-19 and similar potential pandemics will require close co-operation with the international community,…17 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19I thank my hon. Friend for that question —I know how expert she is in this field. We are, of course, emphasising the importance of vaccine research and encouraging the scientific…17 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19We are working with £241 million of aid funding and investing £65 million in research to support vulnerable countries’ capacity to tackle this. The Foreign Office is regularly…17 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19That is, ultimately, the responsibility of the Home Secretary. What I can say to the hon. Lady is that, given the changes we are making to travel advice, it would not seem to be…17 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19I thank the hon. Lady for the emphasis she puts on international co-ordination. There are multilateral efforts to make sure we deal with everything from research and development…17 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19Of course time is critical. We are in daily touch with all the relevant interlocutors, including the airlines and airports, but it is important that we take this measure now, not…17 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19I can assure the hon. Gentleman that I have discussed that issue with the Transport Secretary, who is in conversation with the airlines. The hon. Gentleman is right that there is…17 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19I think the clarity of the advice we have given today will provide the nudge, to use the hon. Gentleman’s expression. The most important thing we can do for our constituents, the…17 Mar 2020