First elected: 4th July 2024
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
These initiatives were driven by Stephen Gethins, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Stephen Gethins has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Stephen Gethins has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
A Bill to amend the Scotland Act 1998 to grant legislative competence to the Scottish Parliament in respect of immigration.
European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019
Sponsor - Hilary Benn (Lab)
European Union Withdrawal (Evaluation of Effects on Health and Social Care Sectors) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Brendan O'Hara (SNP)
Banking and Post Office Services (Rural Areas and Small Communities) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Luke Graham (Con)
Representation of the People (Young People's Enfranchisement and Education) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Jim McMahon (LAB)
Armed Forces Representative Body Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Martin Docherty-Hughes (SNP)
Transparency and Accountability (European Union) Bill 2015-16
Sponsor - Caroline Lucas (Green)
The processing of all export licence applications to Ukraine is being prioritised by ECJU. Within that process, applications for the export of equipment organised between the UK Government and the government of Ukraine through Ministry of Defence procurement mechanisms are given the highest priority.
As with all export licence applications, assessments are made on a case-by-case basis according to the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. Assessments for Ukraine, given the situation within the country and the nature of the goods often being exported, mean these cases are some of the most complex for ECJU to process. Therefore, some can take longer to process than our public targets (to conclude 70% of standard individual export licence (SIEL) applications within 20 working days and 99% within 60 working days).
The volume of live applications changes daily, but the Government release statistics on export licensing decisions and processing times regularly and these can be broken down by end destination. The most recent statistics cover the period April to June 2024 and were published on 12 December. In that period, 36 (72%) SIELs for Ukraine were responded to within 20 working days and 45 (90%) were responded to within 60 working days.
The Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) is comprised of experts in the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The FCDO advises DBT on the situation in country and the risks this poses with respect to the UK's export control responsibilities. The MOD advises DBT on the risks of diversion of exported goods and national security risks arising from hostile state activity. As the decision-making authority for all export licensing decisions DBT takes advice from both Departments and is in daily contact with them where necessary to ensure that process happens as quickly as possible.
Exporters are advised in the first instance to contact the ECJU Licensing Unit, as they will be able to provide further updates on the progress of their applications and comment on any specific cases they would like to raise.
We rigorously assess every application on a case-by-case basis against strict assessment criteria, the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria (the SELC).
We are reviewing this case with other government departments and we will conclude our assessment once we receive that advice.
I refer the Hon. Member for Arbroath and Broughty Ferry to my response to Question 12968 on 12th November 2024: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-11-06/12968
The UK is party to 83 Bilateral Investment Treaties and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership that contain Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS).
ISDS provides an independent means to resolve disputes with states where investors believe they have experienced arbitrary, discriminatory or unfair treatment or expropriation without compensation. ISDS does not remove governments’ right to regulate in the public interest, including with respect to the environment and human rights.
The UK Space Agency Education and Future Workforce programme aims to build and strengthen a diverse workforce. This includes formal and informal educational activities, as well as specific support for developing a skilled workforce. Development programmes include the Space Placements in Industry internship programme, where 119 students were placed in UK space organisations in Summer 2024, alongside scholarship funding and the £2.1m Training Programmes Fund to address known skills gaps in the sector.
In July 2023, the Department for Education launched the Level 6 space degree apprenticeship, developed by a trailblazer group of space industry experts and building on the Level 4 space engineering technician apprenticeship launched in August 2020.
From 2018-2025, the UK Space Agency (UKSA) will have enabled and invested ~£126 million in Scotland through national programmes and European Space Agency (ESA) funding, including funding to establish launch services, co-funding for Space Scotland, and funding via the Space Cluster Infrastructure Fund to expand access to key engineering infrastructure.
The UKSA supports the UK sector in bidding for ESA contracts through initiatives including ESA 101 courses and Bid Writing Workshops. Over 1,000 individuals from 558 different organisations have signed up to take part, equipping them with skills to enhance their ESA bidding success.
We fully recognise the scale of challenges facing professionals wishing to tour in Europe. Many have concluded it is simply not economically viable or logistically possible to tour in Europe. That denies European audiences the opportunity to hear British artists and it denies artists a chance to build their career. That is why we have pledged to do everything we can to help our touring artists.
We are already working collaboratively with the live music sector to address these key issues for our brilliant musicians, artists and their support staff and are engaging with the EU and EU Member States, with a view to improving arrangements for touring across the European continent without seeing a return to free movement. This is a priority for the whole ministerial team, the department and the government.
Since the UK’s departure from the EU, DCMS hase closely monitored the sector's adaptation, particularly regarding touring. This Government is working closely with the music industry, and with guidance and support to help artists and professionals navigate the challenges that have emerged.
We will engage with the EU and EU Member States, and explore how best to improve arrangements for touring across the European continent without seeing a return to free movement. Our priority remains ensuring that UK artists can continue to thrive on the global stage, including in the EU.
We have not held discussions with the EU on future access arrangements but have signalled willingness to listen to their proposals.
The Climate Change Act 2008 requires the Secretary of State to produce a National Adaptation Programme in response to the Government’s most recent Climate Change Risk Assessment, on a five-yearly cycle. The third National Adaptation Programme, published in July 2023, includes actions to address climate change risks to businesses through a combination of investment in resilience measures to tackle flooding and coastal erosion risks, evidence gathering (including annual business survey questions), business engagement and nature-based solutions. The Climate Change Committee provides a biennial assessment of progress in adapting to climate change. The next progress report, assessing the actions taken under the third National Adaptation Programme, is due in 2025. Alongside delivering the third National Adaptation Programme, Defra is committed to further strengthening this government's approach to climate resilience and will bring forward plans in due course.
This Government cares deeply about the trading relationship with the European Union; The Withdrawal Agreement, including the Windsor Framework, and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) underpin relations between the UK and the EU. Although the TCA allows zero tariffs and zero quota trade, leaving the EU Single Market and Customs Union had an impact on the export of agri-food products, as have other changes in trade policy such as new Free Trade Agreements with other countries, and global shocks such as the Covid-19 pandemic.
We are working to reset our relationship with our European friends to strengthen ties and tackle barriers to UK-EU trade. We will seek to negotiate a veterinary/SPS agreement to boost trade and deliver benefits to businesses and consumers in the UK and the EU. We have been clear that our trading relationship can be improved but we are not rejoining the single market or customs union, and we will not return to freedom of movement.
The Government is committed to protecting human health and the environment. We are currently considering the best approach to chemicals regulation in the UK.
The Government is committed to protecting human health and the environment. We are currently considering the best approach to chemicals regulation in the UK.
We are actively considering this complex matter and aim to resolve it as soon as possible.
This Government is committed to pensioners. Everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement.
Given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the Government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control.
Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households that need it most, that is those receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged over 80.
An equality analysis was produced as part of Ministerial decision making in line with the requirements of the Public Sector Equality Duty. This was published on 13 September and can be found here. By convention, such analyses are not published alongside secondary legislation. However, in view of the close public interest in this issue Ministers decided, exceptionally, to publish in this case.
For those with long-term illnesses, the “extra costs” disability benefits (namely Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA) in England and Wales; and equivalent benefits in Scotland) provide a tax free, non-income-related contribution towards the extra costs people with a long-term health condition can face, such as additional heating costs. They are paid monthly throughout the year. AA can be worth up to £5,600 a year and recipients are free to use their benefit according to their own priorities.
Receipt of disability benefits can provide a passport to additional amounts in means-tested benefits (notably Pension Credit and Housing Benefit) for those on low incomes providing they meet the other eligibility criteria.
A Joint Analysis of Conflict and Stability (JACS) strategic assessment is an OFFICIAL SENSITIVE paper that is used to underpin UK national security strategies, as well as UK government policy and programming. We do not publicly comment on the timings of specific JACS assessments.
Since the coup in February 2021, the UK has provided more than £150 million for life-saving humanitarian assistance, healthcare, education and support for civil society and local communities in Myanmar. UK Ministers and officials work with many international partners to address the Myanmar crisis including the EU. G7 Foreign Ministers reiterated their commitment to addressing the Myanmar crisis in their November 2024 Foreign Ministers' Meeting. FCDO officials continue to coordinate with the EU on sanctions, including announcing a joint round of sanctions with Canada in October 2024 which targets the Myanmar military's access to military material, equipment and funds.
FCDO Ministers meet with a wide range of officials, but there have been no official meetings with Israeli officials since 7 December 2024.
The UK remains in close contact with the Azerbaijani Government on a wide range of issues, including the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. I spoke with the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister on 31 October and discussed the situation in the region.
The UK continues to call on Israel to increase humanitarian and commercial access into the Occupied Palestinian Territories by ensuring all aid crossings are fully operational, including the port of Ashdod. The Foreign Secretary recently spoke to Israeli Officials and raised the urgent need for a rapid increase in aid for those most in need. FCDO officials have raised the matter of this donation directly with the Israeli authorities. At a UK-chaired meeting of the UN Security Council on 12 November, Lord Collins called on Israel to immediately make good on its commitment to flood Gaza with aid. The Foreign Secretary reaffirmed these messages and the urgent need for a resolution at the UN Security Council on 18 November.
Since 2011, the UK has supported over 110 million people to adapt to climate change. We support countries to produce and implement whole-of-society national adaptation plans, have several regional programmes supporting climate-resilient economies, and fund research informing adaptation solutions. UK experts have developed financing models; after Hurricane Beryl this July, the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility paid over 76 million dollars to support their recovery. An initial investment in the Resilience and Adaptation Fund currently in development will enable vulnerable households to secure better incomes, assets, and access to food, water and productive land; building their resilience to climate change.
The UK Government is committed to helping low income countries pursue green industrialisation pathways by promoting inclusive and sustainable economic development, and supporting industrial decarbonisation.
Examples include raising over £470 million of investment through Manufacturing Africa in Rwanda and Ethiopia, £7 million investment by British International Investment in Planet Solar, using solar power to increase Sierra Leone's power supply by 30%, and support to the Africa Green Industrialisation Initiative.
My officials will follow up with the British Council on these points. The British Council is operationally independent from Government; its priorities, programmes and operations are approved by its Board of Trustees.
As an Arms Length Body, the British Council is operationally independent. They set out their plans in their Annual Corporate Plan. The Government is committed to a successful British Council that is financially stable. Our funding to the British Council underlines our support. FCDO will provide the British Council with £162.5 million Grant-in-Aid in 2024/25. Funding for 2025/26 will be announced in due course.
The UK is appalled by recent reports of the Rapid Support Forces' indiscriminate shelling of Zamzam camp, the largest camp for internally displaced persons (IDP) in Sudan. There are an estimated 500,000 people living in Zamzam camp, where famine was declared by The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Committee in August. The warring parties must fulfil the commitments they made in Jeddah to prevent harm to civilians and abide by International Humanitarian Law. The UK is in touch with partners to ensure we support the response, including to those who may be displaced from the camp by the violence. The UK is one of the biggest supporters to the Sudan Humanitarian Fund, which provides support to local responders including the Emergency Response Rooms.
UK missions facilitate St Andrews's Day celebrations in a range of innovative ways, tailoring their support to both host-nation and Scottish diaspora interests. 2024 examples include: the Paris Embassy hosting a Reception, attended by the Deputy First Minister of Scotland; the Ottawa High Commission jointly hosting a reception with Scottish Government colleagues; and in Kyiv, activities highlighting Ukraine-Scotland connections - including their sharing St Andrew as the national patron saint. In Singapore, FCDO officials will support the Secretary of State for Scotland's attendance as guest of honour at an event attended by 450 guests from the business and Scottish diaspora community.
I fully endorse the findings of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights report. I made this clear in my statement of 27 October, and our Embassy in Tbilisi reiterated our concerns regarding the need to transparently and thoroughly investigate allegations of electoral violations in a further public statement on 25 November. The new Georgian Government must ensure that these concerns are addressed, and return to a trajectory inline with the democratic values expected of an aspirant NATO member.
As the Foreign Secretary made clear during his visit to Moldova on 20 November, the UK is committed to supporting Moldova's democratic resilience in the face of Russian hybrid aggression. During my visit to Chisinau on 16-17 September, I met President Sandu, Deputy Prime Minister Popsoi and Defence Minister Nosatii to reaffirm the UK's steadfast support. This year alone, the UK is providing £34 million of humanitarian, development and defence support to Moldova, including £6.3 million through the Good Governance Fund to strengthen Moldova's capacity to respond to internal and external threats including information threats.
The UK has consistently been one of the leading international investors in Colombia. UK investors are protected by the Bilateral Investment Treaty and use it to inform their investment decisions. Since the formation of the new government, FCDO and DBT officials have discussed the content and provisions of the Treaty with the Colombian Government, including impact on various sectors. The Colombian Government has committed to working with us to ensure the agreement can continue to deliver benefits for UK businesses and Colombia.
Alongside our European allies, we continue to urge Armenia and Azerbaijan to utilise upcoming multilateral meetings to maintain momentum on the peace process to finalise a lasting peace agreement. Officials in London, Baku and Yerevan remain in regular close contact with European counterparts on peace negotiations. We regularly discuss these issues with our European counterparts.
The conflict in Sudan has created the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, with famine now declared in Zamzam IDP camp in Darfur. 25.6 million people are facing crisis, emergency and famine levels of food insecurity across Sudan. The UK continues to put pressure on the Sudanese authorities to keep the Adre border open and allow for humanitarian assistance to reach those most in need. The UK works closely with key international partners, including the US, to bring an end to the conflict, protect civilians and press for improved humanitarian access. The UK welcomes the formation and work of the newly formed ALPS (Aligned for Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan) group. The UK will continue to work with the US to put pressure on the warring parties to open up humanitarian access to ensure life-saving assistance can reach people in need. In August, I visited the region where I saw the impact of the conflict in Sudan on South Sudan - a country already facing its own humanitarian emergency. Here, I met with those who had fled both violence and hunger, re-iterating the true cost of this conflict and also met with bilateral partners including the US Ambassador to South Sudan. Lord Collins also co-hosted a side event at UNGA focused on tackling conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in Sudan. This event spotlighted the situation for women and girls on the ground, explored the gaps in the ongoing response to CRSV, including the role of the international community in supporting and facilitating local and women-led efforts, and highlighted the urgent need for accountability.
As of the end of September 2024, £70 million had been disbursed. The rest of the UK's funding to Sudan this year - which now stands at £97 million following further UK support since March - will be distributed by the end of the financial year.
Preventing conflict and empowering women and girls is critical to the delivery of the government's missions, and the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) remains a priority for the UK. We are working to prevent and respond to conflict-related sexual violence, including as vice chair of the International Alliance on PSVI and by supporting thousands of survivors around the world. Decisions on exact future strategies will be taken by ministers in due course.
Jordan has shown tremendous generosity in hosting an estimated 1.3 million Syrian refugees in addition to 2.3 million Palestinian refugees registered with UNRWA. UK support to Jordan includes humanitarian aid, and investment in education, social protection and job opportunities, reaching both refugees and vulnerable Jordanians. FCDO Minister of State for Development Anneliese Dodds visited Jordan on 7-8 August and reaffirmed UK's commitment to supporting Jordan and the refugees it hosts. UK funding allows refugees to live in safety and with dignity until they are able to eventually return home. We acknowledge the increased pressure placed on local services for Jordanian communities.
The UK continues to call on Israel to increase humanitarian and commercial access into the Palestinian territories by ensuring all aid crossings are fully operational, including the port of Ashdod. During his recent trip to Israel, the Foreign Secretary met with Israeli Officials and raised the urgent need for a rapid increase of aid for those most in need. Officials will raise the matter of this donation directly with the Israeli authorities at the earliest opportunity.
The UK has highlighted and condemned human rights abuses at the UN Human Rights Council and Security Council, and directly with the warring parties. We continue to call for an end to the violence, and for those responsible for human rights abuses to be held to account. We are funding the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR), a research body which is gathering open-source evidence about abuses in Sudan, to amplify the voices of those being targeted and to inform future accountability processes. The UK strongly supports the ICC Prosecutor's continuing investigation into the allegations of atrocity crimes committed in Darfur since 1 July 2002, and which encompasses the current conflict, where there are credible reports of further atrocities being committed. We are seeking the renewal at the October session of the UN Human Rights Council of the mandate of the Fact Finding Mission into alleged abuses in Sudan.
There is a longstanding UK arms embargo in place for the whole of Sudan, as well as a UN arms embargo on Darfur. The Sudan Sanctions Regulations 2020 put in place sanctions measures to ensure the UK continues to meet its obligations under the UN sanctions regime relating to Sudan, to encourage the resolution of the armed conflicts in, and the stabilisation of, Sudan. As well as this, the UK has frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the parties involved in the conflict. These sanctions were designed to press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities. In our engagement with international partners, the UK continues to emphasise the importance of refraining from actions that prolong the conflict. Those who have influence with the parties must use it to bring them to the negotiating table, to seek a political resolution to the conflict in Sudan.
The UK played a central role in helping secure UN Security Council Resolution 2664 - a landmark step that introduced a cross-cutting exemption to the asset freeze measures to further support humanitarian delivery. The exception applies to the UK's 7 UN sanctions regimes and 12 mixed UN and UK autonomous sanctions regimes.
Our UK regimes include humanitarian provisions including licensing grounds and exceptions to support humanitarian assistance, whether that be to a specific entity, or via a General Licence. For example, HMG has issued General Licences to facilitate humanitarian activities in Syria, and in relation to the current conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
We are committed to ensuring the UK’s anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing regime is both effective and proportionate. To that end, a consultation on improving the effectiveness of the Money Laundering Regulations closed in June 2024 and collected feedback on a range of potential changes to the Regulations. HM Treasury is currently analysing this feedback and the Government will publish a response in due course.
The Treasury and the Home Office hold joint responsibility for publishing a periodic national risk assessment which sets out the money laundering and terrorist financing risks in the UK. The national risk assessment provides guidance to regulated firms by informing them of risks and the jurisdictions that these risks may come from.
The UK National Risk Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing 2020 provided an outline of those jurisdictions assessed to be particularly relevant to the cross-border money laundering faced by the UK. This included an assessment of the money laundering risks linked to Russia.
The next UK National Risk Assessment is now underway, underpinned by a rigorous process in collaboration with law enforcement and other key stakeholders.
The UK has also issued red alerts to the financial sector and other regulated sectors on specific areas of high risk relating to Russia to inform and direct their scrutiny.
The UK’s list of high-risk third countries aligns with those countries identified by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as having strategic deficiencies in their anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing regimes, which ensures that the identification of high-risk third countries is underpinned by the FATF’s consistent, technical methodology, and robust assessment processes.
Russia is not included in either the FATF’s or UK’s list of high-risk third countries. However, regulated businesses should in practice already be taking enhanced due diligence measures in relation to Russia because the UK Money Laundering Regulations require enhanced scrutiny in situations that present a high risk of money laundering or terrorist financing, and the UK’s National Risk Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing 2020 specifically highlights the significant volume of illicit finance emanating from Russia.
No. The Government is focussed on resetting the relationship with the EU, which will support economic growth, the central mission of the Government.
I refer the Hon. member to my answer to his question on this issue during the Topical Questions section of HMT orals today.
The UK economy has experienced significant disruption in recent years due to a range of factors including Covid-19, supply chain disruption and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. It remains challenging to separate out the effects of leaving the Customs Union and Single Market from wider global trends affecting the UK economy.
It is for the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) to provide independent and authoritative analysis and forecasting for the UK public finances. The OBR has estimated that productivity will be 4% lower in the long run than it would have been had the UK not withdrawn from the EU, and that imports and exports will eventually both be 15 per cent lower than had we stayed in the EU. The OBR estimated in March 2024 that 40% of this impact has already materialised.
The Government has no overall estimate of the impact of the UK’s exit from the EU on public finances.
As part of the Withdrawal Agreement with the EU, the UK agreed the Financial Settlement, which is a methodology for settling pre-existing UK financial obligations to the EU. The European Union Finances Statement 2023 (available in the library of the House and on Gov.uk) sets out HMT Treasury’s estimates of the size of these obligations. As at December 2023, the UK is estimated to have paid £23.8bn (€27.4bn) in net liabilities to date as part of the EU financial settlement. Estimated UK outstanding net liabilities as of December 2023 were £6.4bn (€7.4bn).
I refer the Honourable Gentlemen to the Home Secretary’s written ministerial statement on 30 July 2024.
I refer the Honourable Gentlemen to the Home Secretary’s written ministerial statement on 30 July 2024.