Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Heather Wheeler and Stephen Twigg

Tuesday 5th November 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Wheeler]

I am always concerned about the health of the hon. Gentleman; far be it from me to suggest that that was theatrics. To answer his question, soft power is one of the best values of the UK as a nation, in that we are out there with our embassies, trade envoys and cultural attachés and our British Council work. All that is absolutely excellent, as is the World Service that we help pay for. As regards Russia, the hon. Gentleman is an assiduous parliamentarian and I believe that an urgent question on the matter has been agreed by the Speaker, the first he has agreed in his time as Speaker. I am sure that if the hon. Gentleman hangs around, he will get the answers that he is looking for.

[Stephen Twigg (Liverpool, West Derby) (Lab/Co-op)]

Mr Speaker, I am delighted to join the congratulations on your election yesterday on behalf of the people of Liverpool.

An important element of soft power is our commitment to international development. Will the Minister take this opportunity to reaffirm the Government's commitment to that, including the 0.7% aid commitment and the continuation of the Department for International Development as a stand-alone independent Government Department?