Oral Answers to Questions

Robert Halfon Excerpts

Tuesday 1st February 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Bellingham]

We are doing all we can to support the transitional federal Government and are pleased that the African Union mission in Somalia has come up to its mandated strength. We are working not only with the TFG, who must get their act together within the next seven months before their mandate runs out, but with the provincial Government of Somaliland and moderate clans in south and central Somalia.

[Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con)]

Following the Secretary of State’s answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Derbyshire (Pauline Latham) on the release of the Lockerbie bomber, does he not agree that the previous Government hid behind the fig leaf of devolution in order to release a mass terrorist on dubious commercial grounds? Will he take steps to ensure that such a thing never happens again?

[Mr Hague]

As I have said, the Cabinet Secretary’s report on that will be published in the not-too-distant future, so it would be wise to wait for that, rather than trying to anticipate it.