CHOGM, G7 and NATO Summits Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

CHOGM, G7 and NATO Summits

Liam Byrne Excerpts
Monday 4th July 2022

(2 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Boris Johnson Portrait The Prime Minister
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My hon. Friend speaks wisely on this matter, which he knows very well. We keep the actual numbers under constant review. The most important thing is that our troops are the best in the world but they also have to have the best equipment in the world, and that is what we are paying for.

Liam Byrne Portrait Liam Byrne (Birmingham, Hodge Hill) (Lab)
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I was relieved to see the G7 recognise that 200 million people now face starvation around the world, along with the pledge to mobilise £100 billion in IMF special drawing rights to help to alleviate the crisis. Last week, however, the Foreign Secretary could not tell us how much the UK has been given in special drawing rights nor what her target was for sharing them back—presumably because it was not on Instagram—so can the Prime Minister help us? Can he reassure us that all £19 billion of the UK’s new special drawing rights will be shared to help with this crisis in order to set a good example to the rest of the world?

Boris Johnson Portrait The Prime Minister
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The right hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to draw attention to the use of special drawing rights. We are supportive of using those for the benefit of people around the world who are currently finding things very tough.