Oral Answers to Questions

Rosena Allin-Khan Excerpts

Wednesday 15th May 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I commend my hon. Friend for his tireless campaigning on this case. I know the whole House will join me in recognising the horror of the crimes committed by Colin Pitchfork and in sending our condolences to the victims’ families.

We are reforming the parole system to add a ministerial check on the release of the most dangerous criminals, and we are changing the law so that, for society’s most depraved killers, life means life. I will, of course, arrange for the findings of my hon. Friend’s survey to be properly considered, and I will ensure that he meets the Justice Secretary to discuss his proposals further.

[Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (Tooting) (Lab)]

Q8. In Gaza, Israel has attacked hospitals, attacked refugee camps and killed aid workers. Israel has blocked vital aid, turned off water supplies and denied access to food. Israel has killed thousands upon thousands of innocent civilians as the world watches, trampling all over international humanitarian law. No other country would be allowed to act with such impunity. Why does the Prime Minister allow Israel to get away with it unchallenged? And why does he continue to act as a bystander to such horror?

[The Prime Minister]

We do support, and I do support, Israel’s right to defend itself and remove the threat that Hamas, the terrorist organisation, pose to its people. But I am also deeply concerned about the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and I have consistently made that point at this Dispatch Box and to Prime Minister Netanyahu. We must see further action to ensure that more aid gets to people who desperately need it; the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings must be open to allow more aid in. We are doing everything we can, trebling our investment; trying to get aid in by land, air and sea; and currently working with allies to build a temporary pier. The hon. Lady can rest assured that the Government will continue to do everything we can to get support to the people in Gaza who need it.