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Tag: Drew Hendry

  • Drew Hendry – 2023 Speech on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories

    Drew Hendry – 2023 Speech on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories

    The speech made by Drew Hendry, the SNP spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, in the House of Commons on 23 March 2023.

    I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Airdrie and Shotts (Ms Qaisar) on securing this urgent question. Clearly, settlement expansion is a major issue in the violence that is continuing to break out. This week, the Israeli Parliament voted to allow Israeli citizens to occupy four sites in the west bank evacuated in the 2005 disengagement. The High Court of Justice has already classified this as private Palestinian land. Clearly, the moratorium that the Minister mentioned is not being respected here.

    We know that this is not a simple situation, but there are some simple steps that we can take here to make a difference. Will the Minister support the UK banning trade in Israeli settlement goods? Will she include the UK Government’s own stated position that these settlements are illegal in any and all agreements with Israel and provide for consequences for breach of that? Will she also carry that forward into forthcoming trade deal discussions? Will she stop the export of equipment and arms proven to be repeatedly used in settlement expansion, and will she do it now?

    Anne-Marie Trevelyan

    The UK’s position on settlements is clear: settlements are illegal under international law and call into question Israel’s commitment to the two-state solution. We have urged Israel to halt its settlement expansion, which we believe threatens the physical viability of a Palestinian state. In February, we and our partners—the US, France, Germany and Italy—set out strong opposition to these unilateral steps. They are contrary to international law, and they undermine the prospects for peace.

    In relation to trade matters, our long-established position on settlements is clear: the UK does not recognise the Occupied Palestinian Territories as part of Israel, including illegal settlements. Goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements in the west bank, including East Jerusalem, are not entitled to tariff and trade preferences under either the existing trade agreement between the UK and Israel or, indeed, the agreement between the UK and the Palestinian Authority.

  • Drew Hendry – 2023 Speech on the Execution of Alireza Akbari

    Drew Hendry – 2023 Speech on the Execution of Alireza Akbari

    The speech made by Drew Hendry, the SNP spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, in the House of Commons on 16 January 2023.

    May I also thank the Foreign Secretary for advance sight of his statement? The SNP utterly condemns the execution of Alireza Akbari in the strongest possible terms, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family. Once again, this execution highlights the serious injustice and failings of the Iranian judicial system. The Foreign Secretary’s decision to sanction Iran’s prosecutor is welcome, but as we have been calling for many times, I urge the Foreign Secretary again to go further and to take forward the formal proscription of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation. I ask him again: will he commit to that?

    We remain deeply concerned about the safety of other arbitrarily detained UK-Iranian nationals. Morad Tahbaz has been held for five years. Mehran Raoof has been held since 2020. Their families just want to see them come home safely. What are the Government doing to make that a reality? Does the Secretary of State know just how many dual UK-Iranian nationals are detained in Iran, and can he tell us that number?

    The Foreign Office cannot make the same mistakes it has made in the past with other dual nationals, such as Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, Anoosheh Ashoori and other UK-Iranian nationals detained and, as we have heard, sometimes tortured. This shameful execution should serve as an urgent wake-up call. These people and their families deserve better. What lessons have this Government learned, and what are they going to do differently in future to support these people?

    James Cleverly

    I can assure the hon. Gentleman that we work tirelessly to support the release of British dual nationals held in detention in Iran. Our consular team supports their families. The work that we, our ambassador and his team do in Tehran is incredibly important. Their presence is to ensure that British dual nationals, whether they have been in incarceration or not, are supported, and we will continue to work with our international friends and allies to secure the release of those individuals. In regard to proscription, he raises an important point. He will have heard the answers I have given to other colleagues—we do not limit ourselves to the responses we have already announced.

  • Drew Hendry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Drew Hendry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for International Development on contributing to the European Commission’s North Africa Trust Fund.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK continues to contribute to the North Africa Trust Fund at the same level as comparable EU states, and has allocated funds to tackle the root causes of migration from the Horn of Africa. There have been no recent discussions between the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Secretary of State for International Development on contributing to the European Commission’s North Africa Trust Fund.

  • Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what provisions the UK has adopted to comply with the new EU directive on measures to reduce the cost of deploying high-speed electronic communications networks; and how the UK plans to apply that directive in relation to new build homes.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    DCMS is responsible for transposing the EU Broadband Cost Reduction Directive, and will produce regulations to ensure the Directive comes into force by 1 July 2016. The Directive will ensure that public communications networks can request information about a broad range of physical infrastructure that may be suitable for rolling out networks, and can request access to such infrastructure on fair and reasonable terms. There will also be enhanced transparency of planned civil works and a requirement to coordinate works funded through public means.

  • Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will take steps to match the commitment made by the EU to fully deploy 5G by 2025.

    Matt Hancock

    Government has committed to ensuring that the UK seizes the chance to be a world leader in the development of 5G. We have actively participated in the global process for setting 5G standards., and we will continue to engage with international partners, including in the EU, to ensure that the UK is able to maximise the opportunities from 5G leading to widespread deployment as soon as it is commercially viable.

  • Drew Hendry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Drew Hendry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2015-11-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the spending reductions agreed between his Department and the Department for Transport will affect Barnett consequentials.

    Greg Hands

    The Barnett Formula will be applied to the Department of Transport’s Spending Review settlement in the usual way. This will be reflected in the Devolved Administration’s allocations when the outcome of the Spending Review is published on 25 November.

  • Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department has decided on a date for the conclusion of the public sector spectrum release.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Budget 2016 announces a new government commitment that 750MHz of valuable public sector spectrum in bands under 10GHz will be made available by 2022, of which 500MHz will be made available by 2020. All revenue from spectrum auctions is paid into the Consolidated Fund operated by HM Treasury.

  • Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to review the citizenship process for EU nationals married to British citizens.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    There are no plans to review the citizenship process for EU nationals married to British citizens at the current time.

  • Drew Hendry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Drew Hendry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what effect the spending reductions agreed between his Department and HM Treasury will have on the (a) Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, (b) Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, (c) Maritime and Coastguard Agency and (d) Vehicle Certification Agency.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Government will provide full details of the Spending Review outcome on 25 November.

  • Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much revenue received from previous spectrum sales has been reinvested into digital infrastructure.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Budget 2016 announces a new government commitment that 750MHz of valuable public sector spectrum in bands under 10GHz will be made available by 2022, of which 500MHz will be made available by 2020. All revenue from spectrum auctions is paid into the Consolidated Fund operated by HM Treasury.