Occupied Palestinian Territories: Israeli Settlements

Debate between Desmond Swayne and Louise Ellman

Thursday 9th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Sir Desmond Swayne]

Very well. I shall return to my point about John Kerry. The key question is the one I put to the Minister at the start of my speech: what can we do? I was delighted by the activism of the United Kingdom Government on UN Security Council resolution 2334.

[Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside) (Lab/Co-op)]

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

[Sir Desmond Swayne]

Not yet.

I was, of course, dismayed by the subsequent inactivity of Her Majesty’s Government in respect of the Paris conference. That comes back to the question of what we do every time there is some outrageous announcement on settlements.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Desmond Swayne and Louise Ellman

Wednesday 16th March 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Swayne]

We have sent a number of experts to the region specifically to deal with violence against women. The pooled fund, to which we are the largest contributor, provides maternal and child healthcare services, protection for women and girls, and livelihoods for female heads of households. The Iraqi national action plan delivers similar services, and we are dealing specifically with the needs of women in Dohuk, Kirkuk and the northern areas through the human rights and democracy fund.

[Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside) (Lab/Co-op)]

Would the Minister describe what is happening to the Yazidis as genocide?

[Mr Swayne]

I believe that the decision as to what constitutes genocide is properly a judicial one. The International Criminal Court correspondent, Fatou Bensouda, has decided that, as Daesh is not a state party, this does not yet constitute genocide.