Defending the UK and Allies

Debate between Henry Smith and Rishi Sunak

Monday 15th January 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his support. On its merits, as I said, our initial assessment is that we have been successful in destroying the specific targets that were selected, but that remains an initial assessment. We want to see what he spoke about: a return of safe shipping to the region. The Transport Secretary is engaging regularly with companies about their passage, and we will continue to do everything we can, working together with our allies, to ensure that safe passage through the region.

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

The Iranian-backed Houthis are a terrorist group who have killed hundreds of thousands of Yemenis and are fighting the internationally recognised Government in Yemen. The action that the UK took with allies last week was absolutely correct. What further efforts are the Government making to augment the already impressive international coalition, with more countries stepping up and playing their part, to ensure freedom of navigation, which is so important for global free trade?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and we will continue to engage diplomatically to broaden that coalition. As he knows, 14 countries have signed the statement—the UN Security Council resolution—but ultimately everybody is impacted when freedom of navigation is imperilled as it is, not just through the security of their citizens, but because of the shock to their domestic economies from higher inflation. So I am confident that we will continue to have a broad coalition for condemning what the Houthis are doing and calling on them to desist.

Israel and Gaza

Debate between Henry Smith and Rishi Sunak

Monday 16th October 2023 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I believe that we must absolutely support Israel’s right to defend itself and to ensure that attacks like this cannot happen again, but as a friend, we will continue to call on Israel to take every precaution to avoid harming civilians, and we will provide humanitarian support.

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

This morning, I was contacted by a constituent who, on visiting London on Saturday, was deeply disturbed by the pro-Hamas chants that were being shouted, the destruction of national monuments, the fact that the main stage for the protest was right next to the Cenotaph, and media reports of somebody with a Union Jack being detained and led away. What representations are going to be made to the Mayor of London and the Metropolitan police so that future protests are policed appropriately?

[The Prime Minister]

We have ensured that the police have the tools, powers and guidance they need to police these protests appropriately. Obviously, this is a difficult situation. I am thankful to them for what they did over the weekend: they have made, I think, over 20 arrests, and as I said, they are currently reviewing footage of some of the things we have seen after the fact. Where they can, they will make further arrests, but we are clear: people may be free to express their views, but where they are inciting racial or religious hatred, that is against the law and they will meet the full force of the law as a result.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Henry Smith and Rishi Sunak

Wednesday 14th June 2023 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

We are investing record sums in NHS capital; I can tell the hon. Gentleman that we are putting more money into mental health services and taking more action than any previous Government. At the heart of the NHS long-term plan is the largest expansion of mental health services in a generation. I will ensure that the appropriate Minister writes to him with an update on the conversations with his trust about its local capital plan.

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

What assessment has the Prime Minister made of the eurozone being in recession and the UK economy experiencing growth?

[The Prime Minister]

As we have seen recently, it is not just the Office for Budget Responsibility but the OECD, the Bank of England and the International Monetary Fund that have all upgraded the growth forecasts for the UK economy. While the Opposition may want to talk that down, it is the Conservatives that are delivering.

G7 Summit

Debate between Henry Smith and Rishi Sunak

Monday 22nd May 2023 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

As I have said, the G7 allies are working in tandem to intensify diplomatic engagement with third-country partners to highlight potential sanction circumvention risks. We also, as I have said, are investing £50 million in a new economic deterrence initiative, which will back up our own sanctions implementation and enforcement.

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

I commend my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister for leading discussions at the G7 in Hiroshima on countering and guarding against the national security threats that are coming from China. In that vein, will he consider blocking companies such as BGI that are harvesting genomic data—as they have done in the United States and in academia in Canada—from activities in this country?

[The Prime Minister]

Our new National Security and Investment Act 2021 gives us the powers to block hostile investment into sensitive sectors. My hon. Friend will know that we have used those powers to block Chinese investment in Newport Wafer Fab, for example. We obviously look at every transaction on a case-by-case basis, but we now have one of the most robust frameworks anywhere in the world for protecting our companies and our intellectual property from foreign interference and theft.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Henry Smith and Rishi Sunak

Tuesday 7th July 2020 Commons Chamber

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

[The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Rishi Sunak)]

Four months on from the onset of coronavirus, we have slowly and carefully reopened much of our economy, and we can now begin our national recovery. Throughout this crisis, I have repeatedly made it clear that, while we cannot protect every single job, we will do all we can to make sure our businesses and people have the tools they need to get through this and emerge stronger on the other side.

[Henry Smith [V]]

To help the aviation and travel sectors recover from the negative impact of covid-19, will my right hon. Friend consider suspending air passenger duty until at least the end of summer 2021?

[Rishi Sunak]

My hon. Friend, as always, is a champion for the industry, and he knows how important it is to the UK economy. I can tell him that, at the Budget, we committed to a consultation on aviation tax reform. We remain committed to that, and will bring forward the timing in due course.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Henry Smith and Rishi Sunak

Tuesday 24th March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

Obviously, airports and airlines are particularly adversely affected by the covid-19 situation.

[Rishi Sunak]

My hon. Friend is right, especially given his constituency, to highlight the importance of airlines and airports. They have been particularly impacted by what is happening. I am in active dialogue with the Secretary of State for Transport and expect to write soon on that matter.

Economic Update

Debate between Henry Smith and Rishi Sunak

Tuesday 17th March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

I very much welcome the package of measures that the Chancellor announced this evening, but when does he expect to be able to give some more detail on support for the aviation industry? Virgin Atlantic, easyJet, British Airways and Gatwick airport in my constituency are suffering deeply.

[Rishi Sunak]

I know that my hon. Friend knows those businesses well. He should rest assured that we are already in contact with them, through both the Treasury and the Department for Transport. As I said, we will work with them as quickly as possible to put in place what measures are necessary.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Henry Smith and Rishi Sunak

Monday 28th January 2019 Commons Chamber

[Damien Moore (Southport) (Con)]

15. What steps his Department is taking to ensure an equitable distribution of funding to local authorities.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Rishi Sunak)]

We are undertaking a review of local authorities’ relative needs and resources to develop a new, more transparent funding formula that will be fit for the future. We are making good progress in collaboration with the sector and recently launched a consultation that will close on 21 February.

[Henry Smith]

This financial year the Government have granted Crawley Borough Council more than £700,000 for homelessness reduction, and this coming financial year it will be more than £800,000. However, the leadership of the council are complaining about a lack of capital funding for a homeless shelter when it has reserves of more than £21 million. Can I have an assurance from the Department that local authorities will be asked to properly deploy their resources to help the most vulnerable?

[Rishi Sunak]

The people of Crawley are lucky to be represented by someone who had a very successful career in local government. My hon. Friend is excellently well placed to know that any council should look at using its excess reserves first, rather than refusing to invest in local services or unduly increasing the burden on hard-working taxpayers.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Henry Smith and Rishi Sunak

Tuesday 9th January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

1. What steps his Department is taking to tackle the illegal wildlife trade.

[Rishi Sunak (Richmond (Yorks)) (Con)]

4. What steps his Department is taking to tackle the illegal wildlife trade.