European Council 2016 Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

European Council 2016

Chris Bryant Excerpts
Monday 19th December 2016

(7 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Theresa May Portrait The Prime Minister
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I am very happy to tell my hon. Friend that when I have been meeting leaders bilaterally, they have been very keen to express their desire to continue to trade and have a good trading relationship with the United Kingdom.

Chris Bryant Portrait Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab)
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What has happened in Aleppo has not just been a tragedy—it has also been a series of acts of deliberate brutality by Putin and his regime. The Prime Minister is absolutely right to say that those responsible must be held to account, but there is something she could do immediately: she could sign up to the amendment to the Criminal Finances Bill tabled by my right hon. Friend the Member for Barking (Dame Margaret Hodge) and the hon. Member for Esher and Walton (Mr Raab), which would take the assets of those who have been involved in human rights abuses and in these war crimes off them.

Theresa May Portrait The Prime Minister
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The hon. Gentleman has raised an important point, but we already have legislative capacity in relation to such matters. That is why the amendment has been considered not to be necessary and not to take us forward.