Oral Answers to Questions

Eilidh Whiteford Excerpts
Wednesday 22nd January 2014

(10 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Justine Greening Portrait Justine Greening
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Ultimately, we need a political solution to move forward in Syria, which is why the Geneva II talks are so important. We all hope that we can see progress there, but nobody underestimates the challenges.

Eilidh Whiteford Portrait Dr Eilidh Whiteford (Banff and Buchan) (SNP)
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May I press the Secretary of State on the refugee issue? Millions of people have been displaced from their homes, and it is only right that the UK takes its share of those refugees and gives sanctuary under its international obligations. I urge the Secretary of State to make the UK Government do the right thing.

Justine Greening Portrait Justine Greening
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I can reassure the hon. Lady that we have absolutely played a leading role in Europe in accepting asylum-seeking Syrians. When I go into the region and talk directly to refugees—I have done that on many occasions now—they are clear that they want the chance to go back home to Syria. That hope of going home is precisely why, having moved across the border into Jordan and Lebanon, they have stayed in the camps in those communities.