Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Law Excerpts

Thursday 15th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Blair McDougall]

My hon. Friend is a great champion for that sector. The British industrial competitiveness scheme is now open. In addition, we will be reviewing the British industry supercharger later in the year and we will be working closely with the food manufacturing sector as we do that.

[Chris Law (Dundee Central) (SNP)]

As well as breaking the UK’s legally binding climate commitments and contributing to a global climate disaster, the approval of Rosebank will result in the UK continuing to facilitate illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine and being complicit in breaches of international law. Israeli energy company Delek Group, which owns Ithaca Energy, has been named in the United Nations list of businesses whose activities in the west bank have raised particular human rights concerns, and it has received over £200 million in revenue from the Rosebank field. Given that Norway’s sovereign wealth fund and largest pension fund have already divested from Delek, will the Secretary of State confirm that Delek Group Ltd will be one of the companies sanctioned for its role in illegal settlement expansion?

[Jonathan Reynolds]

The hon. Gentleman knows that the licensing of North sea oilfields is a matter for the Energy Secretary. In relation to his point about our announcement on sanctions for illegal Israeli settlements, we have made a clear and consistent stand. We have talked about how the legal regime for that will be the SAMLA—Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018—regime. That will provide more certainty and it will have real consequences—it is not just a symbolic gesture. I will not comment on any individual company, but if the hon. Gentleman’s intentions and aspirations are for strong action in this area, this Government are providing it.