West Bank and Gaza

Lord Alderdice Excerpts
Tuesday 29th May 2012

(12 years, 6 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Alderdice Portrait Lord Alderdice
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My Lords, since trade is the best form of aid, and since Her Majesty’s Government have repeatedly declared the illegality of settlements in the West Bank, are they prepared to explore the question of whether there should be a differential between trading and doing business with deprived parts of the West Bank under Palestinian authority and trading with the illegal settlements about which they have often spoken, almost in despair?

Baroness Northover Portrait Baroness Northover
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In 2009, the previous Government put in place a voluntary agreement on labelling produce from the settlements. It is notable that the major supermarkets in the United Kingdom have taken that forward, so that labelling is there. No preferential treatment is given to produce that comes from the settlements.