Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Heaton-Harris Excerpts

Tuesday 20th October 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hammond]

We are exploring with the Commission legal services and others the possibility of binding legal commitments like the protocols that were entered into by Denmark and Ireland that will be incorporated into the treaties at the next available treaty change. That will give us what the British people need, which is assurance that the agreements that have been entered into will be complied with by the other member states.

[Chris Heaton-Harris (Daventry) (Con)]

6. What recent diplomatic steps he has taken to promote peace and security in Somalia.

[Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford) (Con)]

16. What recent diplomatic steps he has taken to promote peace and security in Somalia.

[The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Grant Shapps)]

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced at the UN General Assembly last month, we are deploying up to 70 UK military personnel to assist the UN Support Office for AMISOM—the African Union Mission to Somalia.

[Chris Heaton-Harris]

Much of the rebuilding work in Somalia has been undertaken by Britain and led by the British Government. Will my right hon. Friend confirm that economic and infrastructure development in Somalia goes hand in hand with peace and security?

[Grant Shapps]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I was in Mogadishu in July and saw some of that work taking place. Britain’s influence there should not be underestimated. America has its embassy in Nairobi, and no other EU state has a presence in Somalia, so Britain is the only EU country with an embassy in Mogadishu. From there we give technical, logistical and planning assistance, which the Government there very much welcome.