Speeches

Lord Stone of Blackheath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stone of Blackheath on 2016-10-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 19 September (HL1630), when flights between the UK and Sharm el-Sheikh will resume.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The Government has not yet concluded that it is right to lift the restrictions on direct UK flights to and from Sharm el-Sheikh. The security of British nationals is the Government’s top priority. Our security experts take account of many factors in providing advice on whether it is safe to fly to certain destinations.

UK aviation security experts have worked closely with their Egyptian counterparts on the ground, sharing their expertise in establishing effective security arrangements. We continue to work in partnership in a spirit of cooperation, and are grateful for Egypt’s close engagement and partnership. We look forward to achieving the return of flights once we can be assured that the necessary security environment can be sustained.