Oral Answers to Questions

Gill Furniss Excerpts

Tuesday 4th September 2018 Commons Chamber

[Douglas Chapman (Dunfermline and West Fife) (SNP)]

11. What representations he has made to his Saudi Arabian counterpart on the bombing of a school bus in Yemen by Saudi-led coalition forces.

[Gill Furniss (Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough) (Lab)]

22. What political and diplomatic steps he is taking to help resolve the conflict in Yemen.

[Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley) (Lab)]

23. What political and diplomatic steps he is taking to help resolve the conflict in Yemen.

--- Later in debate ---

[Alistair Burt]

I am grateful for the hon. Gentleman’s approach to this and know that he wants Martin Griffiths’s work to succeed. The United Kingdom is not tone deaf to this at all; I draw attention to the detail of the report which sets out the errors that were made and suggests that this would just not have happened some time ago. I am not aware of it happening in parallel with others responsible for humanitarian offences and issues in the region, such as the Houthi; there is no comparison with this. We are not tone deaf; we will continue to work with partners but the most important thing is to give Martin Griffiths that space so that the conflict comes to an end.

[Gill Furniss]

The value of British arms sales to Saudi Arabia surpassed £1billion in the first six months of 2017 alone. Is not one of the most effective diplomatic and political steps the Government can take right now to join other countries such as Germany and Norway and stop selling arms and call for a genuinely independent international inquiry to fully establish culpability?

[Alistair Burt]

I understand the force of the question and I think we will be coming to that in detail in a further question, but the short answer is no. The coalition acted in support of a legitimate Government; they are currently having missiles fired at civilian targets in their own state and I do not see the political justification for withdrawing our arms.