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  • Charlotte Nichols – 2022 Parliamentary Question on Increasing Trade with Japan

    Charlotte Nichols – 2022 Parliamentary Question on Increasing Trade with Japan

    The parliamentary question asked by Charlotte Nichols, the Labour MP for Warrington North, in the House of Commons on 15 December 2022.

    Charlotte Nichols (Warrington North) (Lab)

    What steps she is taking to increase trade with Japan.

    The Minister for Trade Policy (Greg Hands)

    In 2021, the Conservative Government concluded the UK-Japan comprehensive economic partnership agreement—the first major trade deal that the UK struck as an independent trading nation. That agreement provides significant opportunities for British business in Japan and goes further than the previous EU deal. It also strengthens our case for accession to the comprehensive and progressive agreement for trans-Pacific partnership. The UK Government are also working hard to reduce barriers to trade in Japan—for example, last year, we secured market access for UK poultry, which is worth £65 million over five years.

    Charlotte Nichols

    Last month, I visited Japan with the British Council where I saw its fantastic work to promote UK arts and culture and to strengthen our trading relationship with a key ally in the Indo-Pacific region. Does the Minister agree that the British Council is a soft power powerhouse, and can he tell me what work the Department does with it to boost trade around the world?

    Greg Hands

    I thank the hon. Lady for that question. We work closely with all aspects of UK hard and soft power abroad and we frequently work with the British Council, particularly on our education exports, which are a huge sector and a huge opportunity for this country. We engage regularly with the British Council to ensure that the DIT is at the forefront of our educational offer in particular and that the ties of friendship promoted by the British Council feed through into our commercial relationship. There is no better example of that than our excellent recent deal with Japan.

  • Sammy Wilson – 2022 Comments on the Small Boats Incident in the Channel

    Sammy Wilson – 2022 Comments on the Small Boats Incident in the Channel

    The comments made by Sammy Wilson, the DUP MP for East Antrim, in the House of Commons on 14 December 2022.

    Our thoughts and prayers have to go to those whose families have been destroyed by the tragedy that occurred in the channel. But our anger, and the anger of the House, ought to be directed at those who callously exploit people who are desperate, or simply people who are misled, for profit. The Democratic Unionist party and the whole House should be supporting the Government in their efforts, first, to prevent the people who are selling places on these boats from getting customers in the first place. Those people should know that, when they come here, there will be no advantage to them and that they will have to leave again. At the same time, what steps is the Home Secretary taking to ensure that safe and legal routes are strengthened for those who genuinely need to seek refuge in this country, and that more resources are put into them, so that there is no need for people to give in to the exploitation of these people smugglers?

    Suella Braverman

    The right hon. Member is right. That is why the Prime Minister announced yesterday that we will have a capped safe and legal routes programme that will come into force once we have tackled the issue of illegal migration. The right hon. Member is right to highlight the criminality. The criminal gangs are sophisticated and well organised, and they are working across several countries. That is why working with European partners is a core element of our plan to fix the problem. I was pleased with the support demonstrated by international partners at the Calais group meeting of Interior Ministers that I attended last week.

  • Jeremy Corbyn – 2022 Comments on the Small Boats Incident in the Channel

    Jeremy Corbyn – 2022 Comments on the Small Boats Incident in the Channel

    The comments made by Jeremy Corbyn, the Independent MP for Islington North, in the House of Commons on 14 December 2022.

    Like all Members, I hold out sympathy to those who died last night and thank those who risked everything to try to save life at sea; they should be thanked for that.

    It is obviously correct to condemn people traffickers and all that goes with them. However, there is a reason that people make these dangerous journeys: they are absolutely desperate—they would not do it otherwise. Instead of the ritual condemnation of people traffickers, could we have something more positive about what we are going to do to support those desperate human beings, of whom the Prime Minister acknowledged there are more around the world than ever before, and make a positive contribution to dealing with the causes of flight in the first place—war, environmental disaster, human rights abuses and so much else? Condemning is easy, but holding out the hand of humanity and friendship to very desperate people is what we should be doing today.

    Suella Braverman

    I think we have to get a reality check here. The reality is that not everybody getting on a small boat—an unseaworthy vessel—and paying thousands of pounds to criminal gangs is a refugee. Not everyone coming here illegally is coming here on humanitarian grounds. There is considerable evidence that people are coming here as economic migrants, illegally. That is what we are trying to stop.

  • Natalie Elphicke – 2022 Comments on the Small Boats Incident in the Channel

    Natalie Elphicke – 2022 Comments on the Small Boats Incident in the Channel

    The comments made by Natalie Elphicke, the Conservative MP for Dover, in the House of Commons on 14 December 2022.

    I was awoken this morning to the news that bodies were being brought into Dover, and that the boat had overturned in the channel. It is the news that I, as the Member of Parliament for Dover and Deal, and people across my community fear day after day, particularly in wintry and cold conditions. That boat should not have been in the water in the first place, let alone in those kinds of conditions at this time of year.

    Could my right hon. and learned Friend consider having urgent discussions with the French and arranging that summit with President Macron? The bottom line is that, in this case, the boat, I understand, was around the median line in the channel, and this is the second time we have seen such a situation. It is time for joint patrols on the French beaches to stop the boats getting in the water in the first place, and a joint security zone across the channel to make sure that incidents like these cannot happen and that we bring the small boat crossings to an end.

    Suella Braverman

    I thank my hon. Friend for all of her work over the past few years, dealing with this issue. I know that she speaks powerfully for all of her constituents who are directly affected by illegal migration.

    The agreement with the French was a step forward, but it is not the end point. It will deliver an increased number of personnel and resources, who will be focused on the issues of intelligence sharing, interception, prevention, investigation, and ultimately the law enforcement response, so that the preventive element of this issue is strengthened. We will continue to build on the constructive dialogue that we have with the French, and I know that they share the goal that we have, which is to bring this problem to an end.

  • Marsha de Cordova – 2022 Comments After Andrew Western Wins Stretford and Urmston By-Election for Labour

    Marsha de Cordova – 2022 Comments After Andrew Western Wins Stretford and Urmston By-Election for Labour

    The comments made by Marsha de Cordova, the Labour MP for Battersea, on Twitter on 16 December 2022.

    Congratulations to Andrew Western for his by-election victory in Stretford and Urmston.

    The storming victory for Labour in the constituency is yet more evidence that people are crying out for political change! I look forward to working together in Parliament.

  • Luke Pollard – 2022 Comments After Andrew Western Wins Stretford and Urmston By-Election for Labour

    Luke Pollard – 2022 Comments After Andrew Western Wins Stretford and Urmston By-Election for Labour

    The comments made by Luke Pollard, the Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, on Twitter on 16 December 2022.

    Congratulations ⁦Andrew Western⁩ for winning the Stretford and Urmston by-election. Another good result for Labour and a bad result for Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives. Bring on the General Election.

  • Janet Daby – 2022 Comments After Andrew Western Wins Stretford and Urmston By-Election for Labour

    Janet Daby – 2022 Comments After Andrew Western Wins Stretford and Urmston By-Election for Labour

    The comments made by Janet Daby, the Labour MP for Lewisham East, on Twitter on 16 December 2022.

    Congratulations Andrew Western on your resounding victory in the #StretfordAndUrmston by-election.

    Decisive win for UK Labour and very poor showing for Rishi Sunak’s Tories!

    I’m looking forward to welcoming you in Parliament soon.

  • Andrew Western – 2022 Comments on Winning the Stretford and Urmston By-Election

    Andrew Western – 2022 Comments on Winning the Stretford and Urmston By-Election

    The comments made by Andrew Western, the new Labour MP for Stretford and Urmston, on Twitter on 16 December 2022.

    Thank you to everyone who has been in touch – I’m really overwhelmed.

    Just getting ready for my first constituency visit, but wanted to say thank you to everyone who voted for me yesterday and the amazing @LabourNorthWest team for all their incredible support.

  • Robin Millar – 2022 Parliamentary Question on Energy Supplies in Ukraine

    Robin Millar – 2022 Parliamentary Question on Energy Supplies in Ukraine

    The parliamentary question asked by Robin Millar, the Conservative MP for Aberconwy, in the House of Commons on 13 December 2022.

    Robin Millar (Aberconwy) (Con)

    What assessment he has made of the impact of UK diplomatic and development support to Ukraine on the resilience of Ukraine’s energy supplies.

    The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Anne-Marie Trevelyan)

    We are supporting Ukraine on air defence to help to protect its critical national infrastructure against Russian attacks, and providing support to repair and restore energy infrastructure. We have provided £22 million to Ukraine’s energy sector and a $50 million financial guarantee to their electricity operator.

    Robin Millar

    Fully 40% of energy infrastructure in Ukraine has been damaged or destroyed since Putin’s illegal invasion. After one strike in October, 1.5 million households were without electricity, and a winter of freezing days and dark nights lies ahead for many in Ukraine. I welcome the aid that my right hon. Friend mentions, and the £10 million that has been donated to the Ukraine energy support fund, but does she back the Business Secretary’s calls to UK business to help the UK Government and make donations of emergency energy equipment to Ukraine?

    Anne-Marie Trevelyan

    My hon. Friend is right that the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department for International Trade are mobilising UK industry. The DIT held an event in Manchester yesterday with UK supply chain companies to encourage them to find ways to supply Ukraine with energy equipment and services. High-voltage transformers and more generators—the UK has already provided 850—will continue to be needed through the winter.

  • Rupa Huq – 2022 Parliamentary Question on the Recognition of Genocide

    Rupa Huq – 2022 Parliamentary Question on the Recognition of Genocide

    The parliamentary question asked by Rupa Huq, the Independent MP for Ealing Central and Acton, in the House of Commons on 13 December 2022.

    Dr Rupa Huq (Ealing Central and Acton) (Ind)

    If the Government will take steps to recognise (a) the Holodomor and (b) the events of 1915-16 in Armenia as genocide.

    The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (David Rutley)

    The long-standing position of the UK Government is that genocide recognition is a matter for competent courts, rather than Governments or non-judicial bodies. Our position in no way detracts from our recognition that the Holodomor is an appalling tragedy and an important part of the history of Ukraine and Europe. Similarly, although the massacres committed against Armenian people in the early 20th century were a tragic episode in that country’s history that should never be forgotten, the Government have no plans to recognise these appalling events as genocide.

    Dr Huq

    November’s Holodomor Memorial Day to remember Stalin’s enforced starvation of millions of Ukrainians with the intended purpose of wiping out their entire culture and society particularly resonated in this 90th year, given what Putin is doing at the moment in that country. Every March, the Armenian diaspora solemnly commemorates the systematic extermination of more than 1 million of their forebears over an eight-year period, and there is also trouble in that region now in Nagorno-Karabakh. Our closest ally, the US, recognises both of these as genocide. Given the painful reverberations today, why can’t we?

    David Rutley

    As I have said, our consistent view across successive Governments—not just this one—is that the recognition of genocide is a matter for judicial bodies, not Governments. However, we take allegations seriously, and we work hard to end violations of international human rights law, to prevent escalations of such violations and to alleviate the suffering of those affected.