Israel and Palestine

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Alec Shelbrooke

Monday 8th January 2024 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Sir Alec Shelbrooke.

[Sir Alec Shelbrooke (Elmet and Rothwell) (Con)]

There will not be a single person in the House today whose heart does not break for the death of innocent civilians, which is a consequence of any conflict. Are the Government having any discussions in the wider Arab region to get Hamas to move away from their stated aims of destroying Israel and to ensure that they disarm, which would allow a basis on which to bring this fighting to an end?

Ukraine

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Alec Shelbrooke

Tuesday 11th October 2022 Commons Chamber

[Alec Shelbrooke]

I am most grateful to my right hon. Friend for his kind comments. On his point about nuclear rhetoric, we have seen this pattern before. President Putin uses it as a sabre to rattle, to try to deter us and distract our efforts in Ukraine. It simply will not work because, fundamentally, NATO is a nuclear defensive alliance, and it will be for all the time that nuclear weapons exist. It is one that has been successful, and it is one that President Putin should take notice of. What is important at this moment in time, as we talk about the nuclear sabre-rattling, is that we stay calm, analyse the situation as it is and demand that he steps back from this dangerous nuclear rhetoric, so that there cannot be any miscalculation on any side as we move forward.

On war crimes, I fundamentally agree with what my right hon. Friend said. We will do everything to bring to justice those who have perpetuated these horrific crimes, which go against every aspect of the Geneva convention. Every day that this war goes on, more and more war crimes are committed.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the SNP spokesperson, Dave Doogan.

--- Later in debate ---

[Alec Shelbrooke]

We are getting back into the question of the horrific war crimes that are taking place; we are working as closely as we can with international allies in that area. This is of course a diplomatic—as well as an MOD—issue, but across the alliance, we are determined to pursue the perpetrators of kidnapping and mutilation, which are clearly defined in the Geneva convention as war crimes. We will prosecute, as the hon. Member for Chesterfield (Mr Perkins) made clear. Whether it involves someone of the most junior rank or the most senior officer, we will pursue everybody. They should know and fear that, because if they commit these crimes, the international community will pursue them. It is still pursuing Nazi war criminals, bringing them to justice and still imprisoning them. We will not stop.

[Mr Speaker]

Finally, I call the new grandfather, Jim Shannon.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker—it is always good to know that the Shannon name is growing and, obviously, that will help in 18 years’ time whenever they come to vote.

I welcome the Minister to his place, wish him well and thank him for his answers. Has an assessment been done of how effectively food and medical supplies are entering into the communities that are on the outskirts of battle zones? How can we further step up to help Ukrainian citizens who are fighting for freedom and liberty and for their very lives?

[Alec Shelbrooke]

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on the new addition to his family; I know that his grandchild will not have any problem in having someone to give them a bedtime story.

The hon. Gentleman will appreciate that he asks a technical question, and I will seek to answer him in writing on those specific details.

[Mr Speaker]

I think it would be an Adjournment debate.

Business of the House

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Alec Shelbrooke

Thursday 21st July 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Can I also wish everyone all the best—all Members of the House and all the staff who work here?

Somebody said that the Leader of the House should have declared an interest in the Tea Room, and on that basis I think I ought to call him: Alec Shelbrooke.

[Alec Shelbrooke]

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Before I ask my question, I make the House aware that I am a member and vice-chairman of the all-party parliamentary groups on Argentina, on Latin America, on Formula One, on Gibraltar and on surgical mesh, and I am a member of the APPGs on cricket and on the BBC.

The Committee on Standards recently published its report on APPGs, suggesting a range of measures to regulate them. Do the Government support those measures, and if so, do they have a preferred recommendation?

[Mark Spencer]

The Government welcome the thoughtful report and recommendations on APPGs by the Committee on Standards. While the regulation of APPGs is a matter for Parliament, the Government welcome measures that provide proportionate regulation of their functioning and appropriate transparency about their financial support. I acknowledge that this does need some work. If I may be so bold, Mr Speaker, I will write to you and to the Lord Speaker—I think responsibility lies at both ends of the building—on my right hon. Friend’s behalf to ask what you could do to help us move this forward. I put you on notice, Mr Speaker, that that letter is on its way.

Covid-19 Update

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Alec Shelbrooke

Monday 29th November 2021 Commons Chamber

[Alec Shelbrooke (Elmet and Rothwell) (Con)]

Why don’t you learn food mechanics then?

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Mr Shelbrooke, I thought you might have been going on the NATO delegation, and I do not want to hear that you have missed out on it.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Alec Shelbrooke

Wednesday 14th July 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Philip Dunne has technical problems. Let us go to Alec Shelbrooke.

[Alec Shelbrooke (Elmet and Rothwell) (Con)]

What steps he plans to take to help ensure that all COP26 parties uphold the commitments of that conference.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Alec Shelbrooke

Wednesday 20th January 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Before I call the Prime Minister, may I express, on behalf of the House, our best wishes to President Biden and Vice-President Harris on this, their inauguration day?

[Alec Shelbrooke (Elmet and Rothwell) (Con)]

If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 20 January.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Alec Shelbrooke

Monday 2nd November 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

That’s the way to do it.

[Alec Shelbrooke (Elmet and Rothwell) (Con)]

Now that we have left the EU, what assessment and representations is my right hon. Friend making about inter-operational ability in procurement done by EU members through the permanent structured co-operation, PESCO?