Contributions
1,953 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDClimate Change: International Co-operationI am very proud of the fact that the United Kingdom is and will remain one of the most generous aid donors in the world. We have focused relentlessly on ensuring that the work of…24 Nov 2020HANSARDYemenThe humanitarian situation in Yemen is dire. As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary warned in September, Yemen has never looked more likely to slide into famine than it…24 Nov 2020HANSARDYemenWe strongly support the UN’s efforts, and we regularly engage with all parties that have an interest in Yemen. On 18 October, I spoke to the spokesman Mohammed Abdul-Salam about…24 Nov 2020HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe FCDO takes all reports of sexual assaults abroad extremely seriously. Miss McNamara had a deeply distressing experience in the UAE earlier this year. Consular officials from…24 Nov 2020HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe full extent of the impact of covid-19 on the illegal wildlife trade is not known, but my right hon. Friend is right to raise this issue. We know that it is a serious crime…24 Nov 2020HANSARDNuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review ConferenceI think that everyone from all parts of this House will share the desire to see a world without nuclear weapons. However, we do need to ensure that at no point do we compromise…24 Nov 2020HANSARDNuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review ConferenceThe UK has reduced by half its nuclear arsenal since the end of the cold war, but we will not sign or ratify the prohibition of nuclear weapons. We do not believe that this treaty…24 Nov 2020HANSARDNuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review ConferenceThe United Kingdom’s priority is to reinforce the non-proliferation treaty as a vital part of the international security architecture and to highlight the UK’s strong track record…24 Nov 2020HANSARDSaudi Arabia: Human Rights DefendersI spoke to the Saudi ambassador about this very issue on 16 November. As I say, it is important that we recognise when progress has been made. Saudi is embarking on a reform…24 Nov 2020HANSARDSexual Abuse and ExploitationOn the language that I used about gross misconduct, the t’s and c’s of the FCDO can apply only to the FCDO, but all ODA-spending Government Departments have agreed with the…04 Nov 2020HANSARDSexual Abuse and ExploitationIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Hollobone. I pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Derbyshire (Mrs Latham) not just for securing this debate, but…04 Nov 2020HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeI refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave some moments ago.03 Nov 2020HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeMy hon. Friend makes a very good point. It is exactly behaviour of that kind that would see a road map for Iran being brought back into the international fold. In this instance,…03 Nov 2020HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeI thank my hon. Friend for his question. The British Government’s position is clear. We do not link this to the debt, but we do not dispute that there is a 40-year-old debt, and…03 Nov 2020HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeMy hon. Friend asks a very good question. As long as the JCPOA can offer some benefit to constraining Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear programme and, as I said, in the absence of…03 Nov 2020HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeI thank my hon. Friend for his question. Ultimately, he is right: the responsibility lies with the Government of Iran, the Iranian regime. We remain committed to securing…03 Nov 2020HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeI thank the hon. Gentleman for putting forward ideas he believes may be useful to bring about the goals that we all want. I am unsure about the effectiveness of that one, but I am…03 Nov 2020HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeI thank my right hon. Friend for his work in this role prior to my tenure. He makes a strong point about the need to maintain working relations with a number of individuals in the…03 Nov 2020HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeAs I have said on a number of occasions, the debt, which we recognise, is unrelated. We are seeking ways to resolve this 40-year-old debt, but I am unwilling to go into further…03 Nov 2020HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeMy hon. Friend will know that it is a long-standing convention that we do not discuss future proscriptions or sanctions. He makes a broader point about the international standing…03 Nov 2020