Contributions
1,953 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDTurkey and Syria EarthquakeThe hon. Lady makes a very important point, and it is one that I raised in my last bilateral meeting with Martin Griffiths. As she said, this has had a significant detrimental…07 Feb 2023HANSARDTurkey and Syria EarthquakeWe have been in close contact with our Turkish counterparts from very early on in this situation. Obviously, we have a very close military relationship through NATO. Turkey has a…07 Feb 2023HANSARDTurkey and Syria EarthquakeI am happy to pay tribute to Islamic Relief and other charities and non-governmental organisations that are active in the region. The hon. Lady is right that, sadly, whether it be…07 Feb 2023HANSARDTurkey and Syria EarthquakeThe hon. Gentleman’s desire to help and help quickly is completely understandable, and I can assure him that it is shared by everyone across the House and across Government. As I…07 Feb 2023HANSARDTurkey and Syria EarthquakeThe hon. Member is right: the people of this region have suffered more than enough. Sadly, this natural disaster will amplify the suffering of the man-made disaster that we have…07 Feb 2023HANSARDTurkey and Syria EarthquakeWe have already discussed Islamic Relief, Red Cross and Red Crescent, and I have no doubt that a number of organisations will be putting forward appeals. We recognise that, for…07 Feb 2023HANSARDTurkey and Syria EarthquakeI thank the right hon. Gentleman for his tone and the points he has made. He is absolutely right, and reflects the mood of the whole House, in saying that we pass on our thoughts…07 Feb 2023HANSARDTurkey and Syria EarthquakeOn my hon. Friend’s specific question about the size of the medical response team, I do not have that figure at the moment. It is inevitable that the numbers—both, sadly, of…07 Feb 2023HANSARDTurkey and Syria EarthquakeMy hon. Friend is absolutely right to highlight the completely unacceptable bombing of areas in the immediate aftermath of this natural disaster. Sadly, it speaks to a…07 Feb 2023HANSARDTurkey and Syria EarthquakeI thank the hon. Gentleman for the point he made about the speed of our technical response. The urban search and rescue team that we have dispatched are world-class, and they have…07 Feb 2023HANSARDTurkey and Syria EarthquakeMy hon. Friend makes an incredibly important point. The scale of this catastrophe is one that we are unused to. Sadly, this situation is almost unprecedented for the very reasons…07 Feb 2023HANSARDTurkey and Syria EarthquakeThe hon. Lady makes an important point about how disconcerting this is for those with friends and loved ones in the region. Obviously, the responsibility of the FCDO is to provide…07 Feb 2023HANSARDTurkey and Syria EarthquakeMy hon. Friend makes an incredibly important point. We are seeing over and again real acts of solidarity with the people of Turkey and Syria who have suffered so much as a result…07 Feb 2023HANSARDTurkey and Syria EarthquakeI would like to take this opportunity to commend the hon. Lady for her long-standing commitment to that part of the world and the refugees there. We have been a long-standing…07 Feb 2023HANSARDTurkey and Syria EarthquakeI will be raising this specific subject with Martin Griffiths when I speak to him later this afternoon. Humanitarian access routes have been constrained over recent years, which…07 Feb 2023HANSARDTurkey and Syria EarthquakeOn the right hon. Member’s last point, I will certainly look at that and ask my officials to liaise on raising a specific appeal. What future assistance we give will be very much…07 Feb 2023HANSARDTurkey and Syria EarthquakeWith permission, Mr Speaker, I will make a statement to the House on the situation in Turkey and Syria. On Monday morning at 1.17 am UK time, a major earthquake struck…07 Feb 2023HANSARDTurkey and Syria EarthquakeI completely recognise the desire of Members of the House to be kept informed and to be able to provide a service to constituents who, quite understandably, will be very worried…07 Feb 2023HANSARDTurkey and Syria EarthquakeThe hon. Gentleman speaks regularly and with great passion about the need to be conscious of minority groups, especially religious and ethnic minority groups. He is absolutely…07 Feb 2023HANSARDTurkey and Syria EarthquakeSadly—the hon. Lady makes an incredibly important point—there will always be vultures who will seek to make money through the tragedy of others and the concern of their friends…07 Feb 2023