Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Wednesday 5th July 2023 Ministerial Corrections

Violence in the West Bank

The following is an extract from the Urgent Question on Violence in the West Bank on 4 July 2023.

[Liz Saville Roberts (Dwyfor Meirionnydd) (PC)]

My thoughts go out to the people affected by the horrific attacks on the Jenin refugee camp. We must be clear that this is a violation of international law and that the occupying forces, in particular, have a responsibility to end the violence. I will give a clear suggestion of a possible action: will the UK Government send a clear message of condemnation by bringing to an end the importation into the UK of goods that are produced in those Israeli settlements that are deemed illegal under international law?

[Anne-Marie Trevelyan]

As I say, we will continue to make calls on Israel—[Interruption.] Goods made in the settlements are not allowed to be imported, and that continues to be the case. We continue to grow the work that we do on trade with Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the OPTs, and I know the Department for Business and Trade is focused on that development work.

[Official Report, 4 July 2023, Vol. 735, c. 703.]

Letter of correction from the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Anne-Marie Trevelyan):

An error has been identified in my response to the right hon. Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Liz Saville Roberts).

The correct response should have been:

[Anne-Marie Trevelyan]

As I say, we will continue to make calls on Israel—[Interruption.] Goods imported from the settlements are not entitled to benefit from UK-Israel trade preferences. We continue to grow the work that we do on trade with Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the OPTs, and I know the Department for Business and Trade is focused on that development work.